Ways to Help Military Families This Holiday Season

The holiday season is all about giving... really- not about receiving, although that is nice, too.

Military families with their families overseas are in need of our giving. What can we do about it? Can we bake chocolate chip cookies and mail them overseas? Well, yes. However, there are other more practical and better appreciated gifts to assist military families.

Ways to share with military families- HeroMiles.org

Donate some of your unused air miles to a soldier in need of an emergency leave. Are you really going to use them this year? If you accumulate many miles consider this a prime option on ways that you can help. Rather than saving those miles for a beach vacation... enjoy taking a vacation at home: with sunscreen and a hat. Know that someone else is on the receiving end of a truly treasured gift. That alone will make you all warm inside... not need to visit a beach.

Ways to share with military families- BooksForSoldiers.com

Do you have several paperback or even hardbacks books that you have already enjoyably read? Rather than donate them to your local library or swap them at a used book store, consider gifting them to soldiers overseas. This program accepts books, DVD's, CD's and video games and ships them overseas. Not only will this give you warm fuzziest, but you will also be cleaning out that entertainment center or your children's game room at the same time. A double win!

Ways to share with military families- TheThankYouFoudnation.org

Gift cards for family members of the military. Holidays are difficult and often sad when one family member is stationed far away. Consider this program as a way to use those gift cards you have yet to use from last year, as well as add on of your own. This program donates the gift cards, restaurant certificates (Restaurants.com is a great site that offers gift certificates of twenty- five dollars for ten dollars and ten dollar certificates for three dollars!) and event tickets to military families and veterans. Know that rather than your family going out for dinner, you are helping another family cope with the absence of one of theirs.

Ways to share with military families- USO.org

The USO organization has a program entitled Operation Phone Home which distributes prepaid calling cards to soldiers so that they can telephone their families for free. I had two calling cards in my winter purse I found when I was switching out purses last week. That is what started this quest on ways to help as I wondered what I could do with these cards before they expired. Many of us have cell phones now with free long distance or even free long distance with our regular land line. If you have some calling cards lying around gathering dust in your home or your purse... consider donating them. If not, consider picking up a prepaid calling card from Wal-Mart and donating that. A soldier's entire family will be thankful.

Not only will you be helping yourself with these thoughtful donations, you will be helping so many others. Moreover, it does not just have to be this time of year that this is done either. Anytime at all... these donations will be accepted and greatly appreciated.