I didn't hold back anything special to post right at Christmas -- I'd rather allow time for things to be seen and passed on -- but please check out our Old War Dogs Christmas collection here and my collection here, and do not miss Greyhawk's Christmas post here.

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Don't miss Making It Merry In Iraq at Curt's place.

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Michelle: For Unto Us A Child Is Born

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I mentioned The Gray Dog's video tribute earlier but I'll say it a again: Do. not. miss. it.

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I added a couple of OWD links to Hot Air's Christmas Open Thread. Probably be some other good one's there before long.

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Merry Christmas To The CQ Community!
Captain Ed

The First Mate and I wish all of our friends in the CQ community a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and a terrific new year! We've been blessed to have you with us, and hopefully this video Christmas card will express our gratitude -- especially to our readers in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere putting their lives on the line for our nation. You are all in our prayers, as always.

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James Joyner has a nice link roundup here.

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Gateway Pundit has a great Christmas post up here (like I'm surprised or something.)

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God bless ya'all sheepdogs
2spotlefty

The wolves at bay,
All thanks to you,
No one can say,
How much they'd do,
In damage done,
To liberty,
But for sheepdogs,
She's history.

Keep safe now,
And win the war, ...

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A Very Special Christmas Present
White Rose

It was Christmas, 2003 and I was finishing a mission into Iraq. We had taken food and ice up to BIAP and were on our way back to Kuwait on Christmas Eve. So far away from home and missing my boys very much, I was not in the best of moods. We pulled into a camp just a few hours north of the Kuwait border late in the afternoon. I had bought a pre-decorated Christmas Tree several weeks before in a PX in Baghdad to put in my truck. My thought was to try to keep up the spirits of myself and the guys. But the guys didn't want to be reminded that it was Christmas while they were so far away from home. I listened to them tease me for several weeks about the tree and one even threatened to take the tree out of my truck and throw it away when I was not looking. I kept telling them that we should be happy. We were alive. We were doing something important. We were making the lives of the troops a bit easier. But none of them wanted to hear it. And on this day, it all finally got to me.

I had made my mind up that I was going to skip dinner and just spend the evening sulking in my truck. I didn't want to see the reminders of Christmas that I knew would be decorating the DEFAC. But  ...

A Very Special Christmas Present

There's a special present under the tree this year.
Wrapped in paper of red, white, and blue.
I walked in to find the children,
Constructing it especially for you.

Their little hands were covered with glitter,
Bits of paper scattered everywhere.
I had to quietly laugh at seeing them
With glue stuck in their hair.

I slipped out of the room unnoticed by them
And sat down in front of the tree.
The glowing lights and smells of Christmas
Quickly brought visions of you to me.

Suddenly, I heard little feet running down the hall.
I knew their project must now be done.
They handed me the crumpled present and asked,
if I would please help wrap this one.

On this sheet of paper a big star they had placed,
With stick-people looking up toward the sky.
They waited in anticipation for my approval.
Their faces glowed with pride

At the bottom, a note was scribbled
In a child's special little way,
To let you know they only asked Santa
For one thing this Christmas Day.  ...