The holiday season is, for most of us, a time filled with warmth—glowing lights, familiar traditions, and the comfort of gathering with loved ones. Yet thousands of U.S. service members will spend this season thousands of miles away from home, stationed in remote bases around the world, where the holidays look and feel very different. Instead of cozy living rooms and festive meals, many will celebrate in desert tents, aboard naval ships, or in cold, rugged outposts. Their “holiday décor” might be a string of lights taped to a wall, a tiny paper tree, or whatever creative reminder of home they can piece together.
For these men and women, small gestures carry enormous meaning. A handwritten card. A favorite snack. A pair of warm socks. A simple reminder that someone back home is thinking about them. This is why holiday care packages remain one of the most heartfelt ways Americans can give back—and why programs like the American Red Cross’s regional Holidays for Heroes efforts matter so deeply.
While the American Red Cross no longer runs one central national address for sending packages, many local ARC chapters still organize holiday-season collection drives—Holidays for Heroes—that assemble and ship care packages overseas. These packages often contain comfort items such as toiletries, instant coffee, protein snacks, holiday treats, puzzle books, and handwritten notes of appreciation. Some chapters send boxes directly to deployed units, while others work with military partners to distribute gifts wherever service members need them most.
For troops spending the holiday months far from home, these care packages do more than deliver supplies—they deliver connection. They ease loneliness. They remind service members that the country they protect remembers and values them. At a time when many families here in the United States enjoy the freedom to celebrate openly and safely, these small bundles of kindness serve as a bridge between two very different holiday experiences: one surrounded by peace, and one spent preserving it.
If you’ve ever wanted to send love to a soldier during the holidays, the Red Cross offers one of the most trusted and meaningful ways to do so. And finding out how to help is simple. Because ARC military-support programs vary by region, the easiest way to participate is to contact your local Red Cross chapter and ask whether they are running a holiday troop-support initiative this year. Chapters often post their wish lists, drop-off locations, and deadlines directly on their regional websites.
This holiday season, you can bring joy to service members far from home through the Red Cross. Even a small donation—online, by phone, or by mail—helps support military families across the U.S. and overseas. You can also send a heartfelt card or letter through your local chapter, using the ZIP code finder on redcross.org to see if they participate in programs like “Holidays for Heroes.” Keep your message sincere but avoid sharing personal contact details. Another way to give is by donating practical items, such as clothing, food, toiletries, or comfort items, through programs like “Helping Hands.” Whether it’s a single card or a box full of goodies, your contribution brings a moment of joy to someone spending the holidays protecting yours.
Whether you donate a single item or help fill multiple boxes, your contribution becomes part of something bigger—a moment of joy for someone spending their holiday protecting yours.
This season, as we savor the blessings of home, warmth, and togetherness, let’s extend a piece of that gratitude outward. Let’s send comfort across the miles. Let’s gift a soldier the reminder that their courage is seen, their sacrifice honored, and their service deeply appreciated.