The holiday season is barreling toward us. This can be a challenging season for military families—especially those in the midst of a deployment. But there are many ways we can surround them with love and support. When looking for families in your community, don’t ignore the parents of our military personnel. Even though their children are grown, facing the holidays with a loved one who’s deployed can be tough.
1) Help with holiday shopping.
Especially when a family has kids, going through the holidays as a single parent is a challenge. Offer to help out in whatever way is needed from buying gifts to helping shop for household needs.
2) Invite a military family to Thanksgiving (and Christmas) dinner.
When a loved one is deployed, looking at an empty spot during Thanksgiving is tough. Give them somewhere else to gather, have fun and avoid the worst of the day’s memories.
3) Give them a gift card (or two).
Deployment usually means a cut in pay. Give a family the boost they need with a gift card for groceries, Christmas presents, even dinner at a restaurant.
4) Organize a packing party to send gifts.
I loved it when others sent packages to our son while he was deployed. Organizing a group to participate can make a military family feel included and loved.
5) Surprise them with freezer meals.
There are days when being without a loved one—even when it’s only for a season—can make cooking seem like an impossibility. By stocking the freezer during those times, families can still have a hot meal.
Most of all, include military families in as many holiday events as possible. One of the hardest parts of having a loved one serving away from home is the fact that family members feel left out of the seasonal joy. Having a community that rallies around makes all the difference during those lonely days.
