Christmas is my favorite holiday. From the lights to the carols, to crafts and baked goods, it holds a special place in my heart. In the military community we know that the holiday season can be hard and coming together is the best way to support one other. This month I challenge you to make a deliberate effort to connect with your friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Send them an email, a text, or an invite to your gatherings. Your moment of kindness may come at the perfect time for someone who is struggling with being alone in Korea, maybe it is the first holiday without a loved one, or maybe adjusting has just been hard. Whatever the reason, know that a quick effort to reach out can drastically change someone’s day. 

Our first Christmas in Korea was in 2019 right before the pandemic. We were in lodging with a small silver Christmas tree with a Texas-shaped ornament we came to Korea within our carry-on, a little piece of home. The PX would have a Santa for our son to give his list to and we would start looking for our new home, praying to move into it before Christmas! Fortunately for us, we found a place before Christmas and had household goods delivered shortly after. Since then, that silver tree has been put up in various places in our house, along with a larger one. There is something special about that little tree that made a foreign country feel like home, even in a hotel! As military families, we are taught resiliency and flexibility through trial and error, but we always seem to come through for our loved ones when it matters most.