"I honestly wasn’t expecting anything for myself this Christmas. With my husband currently deployed to Afghanistan, it just wasn’t on my radar. The fact that your organization made it possible for me to receive a note from him and gifts, that were generously donated brought tears to my eyes (and I am not a cryer)! Thank you for remembering those of us keeping the home front running. Sometimes, the task is daunting as well as exhausting. How blessed I was to receive something that said in essence, “you are loved. You are not forgotten.” It filled my heart with such gratitude. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving my husband the opportunity to participate in this."
"When I received my 12 days of Christmas box, I was more than excited. When I read my son’s note, with, “Forever and always my mommy you’ll be,” I knew it was really from him! When he was a senior in high school he had made me a valentine and written those words from the book we’ve all read to our children! When he was in bootcamp, my daily letter always ended, “Love you forever, like you for always, always and forever my baby you’ll be.” Knowing my Marine wouldn’t be here for Christmas was becoming more and more real as the days approached. With your help, each day I had something to look forward to, and I felt a special connection to my son, so far away. Each day, friends would call to hear what was in the next box. I can only imagine the organization, planning and teamwork it takes to pull this all together. Thank you for not only making us smile at home, but also for giving our troops a peace of mind that they have requested a special package for their loved ones back home! You are angels!!"
"I am a newlywed, married 2 months before the deployment, and had just moved to the state he lived in, which was 2 states away from family and friends. I’m a nurse and had to work much of Christmas so I couldn’t travel to be with my family until after the holidays. I was feeling a little blue and having a hard time enjoying the Christmas season. I received the package and opened it, read the card and burst into tears. The beautiful little gifts inside helped fill my house with joy to see the pile of them waiting for me, and instilled a sense of a beautiful simple Christmas in my home during a rather lonely time. I would open one a day, very ceremoniously and enjoy my daily indulgence. It made me feel less alone and more appreciated and stronger."
"When I received a box I had no idea what it was but when I opened it, it brought me to tears and I could not stop crying tears of joy. I have never spent a Christmas away from my husband and I was not expecting to receive any gifts this year with him being away but my heart was so full and I was overjoyed when I got that box. These little gifts mean so much to me! I looked forward to opening them everyday. I could never thank you guys enough for making this Christmas so much better! I’m so grateful for your kindness and wonderful gifts! THANK YOU ALL!"
"This is the first deployment for my husband and I, we are college sweethearts, and just recently got married this past May, only 6 days before they left! As the months seemed to be getting longer instead of shorter and we approached the holidays without him, and on top of that my students asking me if I thought he would surprise me like you see in the videos on social media I was struggling a little bit; but, coming home to this box was absolutely perfect! I did try my best to stick to only opening one little box a day, and so it took me a while to realize there was a hand-written note in the Vera Bradley change pouch (and it was actually HIS writing - not like when they send you flowers and you get a typed note or it’s written in the workers handwriting)! That little note has been my saving grace and my push to keep going, to keep my head up and staying positive; that this deployment would be over before I know it!
"I am a VERY PROUD Marine Mom. We have four sons, and our Marine is our “Baby” (23 years old!) Any contact from him, phone/FT and this special treat in the mail brings tears to my eyes immediately. This Deployment has taken him away from the family for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and likely his birthday and Easter, so while we are fiercely proud of him, being apart on the holidays is a first for our family, and those days are especially tough. Having the little gifts from him each day made him feel a little closer to home!"
"My husband was supposed to return home from this deployment before the holidays, but was extended through the new year. I was heart broken thinking he would miss Christmas (our 2 year old first year being excited). I came home from work one day to a package on my door step, thinking I had a case of amazon amnesia, I opened the box and was puzzled at the content until I read the note inside explaining the purpose of the package. I cried, I couldn’t help it. It was beautiful and exciting to be a recipient of this thoughtful gift. I enjoyed opening each gift leading up to Christmas (it was a struggle not to open them all right away!) On the last day, Christmas eve, I cried again, the Luca+Danni bracelet and note included was sentimental and very beautifully made. I have worn it every day since. Thank you for making this Christmas a very special one."
"I was particularly missing my husband because of it being the holidays, but when I opened the box and saw his handwriting I was floored and started crying. Being the 21st Century, I talk to him quite a bit but it’s always online. I hadn’t seen his handwriting in months since he’d been gone, and it meant SO MUCH to me to see a note he’d written make its way into my hands. I don’t know if this is logistically very difficult, but it means SO MUCH."
"It was late at night and when I went out to feed the dog I noticed a small brown box. I couldn’t remember having ordered anything and was not sure how long it had been outside by our gate. I brought it in the house and left it to sit while I bathed the kids and attempted to contact my husband. I asked him if he had ordered something. He said no. I told him a package came addressed to me but I hadn’t ordered anything. When I finally got around to opening it later that night I was shocked to find the note and what exactly your organization was about. The pack of Kleenex with the first gift is brilliant. I cried like a girl going through her first heartbreak. And I’m not the emotional type! It was just such a sweet thought and I had been dreading Christmas. This gave me something to look forward to on a daily basis. It was easier to smile and joke with the kids who were so excited about Christmas. It was their first one without their dad. Thank you all for your love and support. I hope I’ll be able to repay you all by paying it forward. Really, thank you."
Service Members
“Huge thanks for making this program a great source of hope and encouragement for us, which we are far away from home. I think the real heroes are not those who fight at the front line, but those who are at home they are the real heroes, the wives or husbands who make the role of mother and father at the same time, parents who can not sleep well because they are concerned if something happens to their child. There are no words in which I can give you my infinite thanks. God always guide you and care for good hearted people like for taking care of our families back home. Thank you. ”
“I just want to thank you for your giving me and the other Marines on the MEU the opportunity to do something special for our loved ones back home. Today my second daughter was born and this is my sixth deployment so this opportunity means a lot to me and my Marines. Again I just wanted to thank you for all that you do for us.”
“Thank you for doing all of these for us. We appreciate everything you do. We might be away from our families this coming holiday seasons but you guys are always there, always ready to support our troops. You guys are helping us a lot, making our loved ones feel that although we are away from home, we can still celebrate. Everybody from motherland has all your support for us. Thank you so much and may you guys have a wonderful holiday! Please send my regards to everybody you work with. Thank you!!!”
“I would like you to know how much this means to me and my Soldiers. Out of the 20 Soldiers I have only 3 of them have deployed so being separated and in a war zone is a new thing to them and their families. While communication is outstanding, especially when compared to Iraq or early Afghanistan. The news tends to blow things out of proportion which causes a lot of distress for the families left behind. The contribution of your organization will make a difference for the lives of the Soldiers and an even greater impact on the families that are left behind.”
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