Okay, Christmas shopping is done!

Ha! Just Kidding, there's no way I'm gonna get in that mess during the Thanksgiving holiday. I just can't see there being any incentive great enough to make me subject myself to such chaos! I'll buy my Christmas on-line, just as I have the last several years. I get stuff delivered to my door cheaper than I can buy it in a brick and mortar establishment, so why do people subject themselves to crowded malls, jammed highways, and stores that are out of stock on the things they are looking for?

I guess I'm "New Fashioned", as opposed to those who do it the old-fashioned way. But, I don't use up gasoline, I don't contribute the pollution, and I'm not part of the congestion, so I could be termed Green-fashioned, no? Hey, I'm doing my part.
Do you guys really fight the crowds on Black Friday?

I buy clothes and toys for needy children and that is IT

www.anysoldier.com

There are also links at the site for marines, airmen, coast guard and navy.

These are requests for necessities and goodies that our troops themselves have requested.

My family's gifts this year are that they will have the satisfaction of knowing "they" sent some of our troops care packages.

A DUer posted this link initially, and I like to keep inserting it wherever it kind of seems on topic. :hi:

I should have posted that, too. I have sent hundreds of dollars worth of goods to a unit I contacted through ANYsoldier.com.
And, it was so rewarding! I sent art supplies because that is what the unit requested. They sent back artwork they had completed, such as a charcoal portrait of my wife (we sent pictures), scorpions made of colored art wire (they said the Iraqi kids love them), wood carvings, and the 56 yr old lady who was our contact sent us a video collage of her tour in Iraq with hundreds of pics! If you haven't done this, please consider it. You will feel good for it, and you can sure make some of our soldiers time over there a little nicer!

you absolutely treasure them!

You know you have a place in their hearts, and you let them know they're always in our hearts, too! :hug:

My wife went to Anysoldier.com and picked a female soldier with her name "Carol". Turns out she was the same age as my wife, 55 at the time, and their birthdays were two days apart! She was a reservist in Georgia who got called to active duty. She was stationed in Balad, Iraq. She finished up her tour this summer and is now back home, safe and sound.

We have plans to travel to Georgia (we're in Texas) just to meet her (per her request, of course). She wants to express to us her true feelings about the war. I already know it mirrors the feelings most of the people here at DU. She told us the war is being fought for the American military complex, who have reaped billions in profits. She should know, Balad is a supply base that most things going to Iraq has to pass through. And, you should see the pictures and video she has sent us.

The pictures I have will never be seen on TV, and they were taken over a two year period while she was stationed in Balad.
One of these days I will post some of them here, once I receive her permission.

anysoldier.com --

This must be so rewarding and exciting for you. When you meet Carol -- give her our thanks!!

We draw names at Christmas and everybody buys just one gift for whoever's they name they draw. Whoever I draw, I go their Amazon.com wish list and buy something off the list for them. Shopping done, and all before I even take a shower and get dressed in the morning.

or out of catalogues.