    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [December 23, 2006]
    [Pages 2222-2223]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    December 23, 2006

        Good morning. As families across our Nation gather to celebrate
    Christmas, Laura and I send our best wishes for
    the holidays. We hope that your Christmas will be blessed with family
    and fellowship.
        At this special time of year, we give thanks for Christ's message of
    love and hope. Christmas reminds us that we have a duty to others, and
    we see that sense of duty fulfilled in the men and women who wear our
    Nation's uniform. America is blessed to have fine citizens who volunteer
    to defend us in distant lands. For many of them, this Christmas will be
    spent far from home, and on Christmas our Nation honors their sacrifice
    and thanks them for all they do to defend our freedom.
        At Christmas, we also recognize the sacrifice of our Nation's
    military families. Staying behind when a family member goes to war is a
    heavy burden, and it is particularly hard during the holidays. To all
    our military families listening today, Laura and
    I thank you, and we ask the Almighty to bestow His protection and care
    on your loved ones as they protect our Nation.
        This Christmas season comes at a time of change here in our Nation's
    Capital, with a new Congress set to arrive, a review of our Iraq
    strategy underway, and a new Secretary of Defense taking office. If you're

    [[Page 2223]]

    serving on the frontlines halfway across the world, it is natural to
    wonder what all this means for you. I want our troops to know that while
    the coming year will bring change, one thing will not change, and that
    is our Nation's support for you and the vital work you do to achieve a
    victory in Iraq. The American people are keeping you in our thoughts and
    prayers, and we will make sure you have the resources you need to
    accomplish your mission.
        This Christmas, millions of Americans are coming together to show
    our deployed forces and wounded warriors love and support. Patriotic
    groups and charities all across America are sending gifts and care
    packages to our service men and women, visiting our troops recovering at
    military hospitals, reaching out to children whose moms and dads are
    serving abroad, and going to airports to welcome our troops home and to
    let them know they are appreciated by a grateful nation.
        One man who's making a difference this holiday season is Jim
    Wareing. Jim is the founder of New
    England Caring for Our Military. This year Jim helped organize a gift
    drive by thousands of students from Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
    Students from kindergarten to high school collected more than 20,000
    gifts for our troops abroad. The gifts are being sent to troops
    stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Korea, Japan, and Africa. The
    care packages include books and puzzles, board games, phone cards, fresh
    socks, and T-shirts, and about 7,000 handmade holiday greeting cards and
    posters. Jim says, quote, ``It's probably always hard for troops to be
    far away from home, but especially hard on the holidays. I use this as
    an opportunity to try to pay them back for my freedom.''
        Citizens like Jim Wareing
    represent the true strength of our country, and they make America proud.
    I urge every American to find some way to thank our military this
    Christmas season. If you see a soldier, sailor, airman, marine, or a
    member of the Coast Guard, take a moment to stop and say, ``Thanks for
    your service.'' And if you want to reach out to our troops or help out
    the military family down the street, the Department of Defense has set
    up a web site to help. It is americasupportsyou.mil. This web site lists
    more than 150 compassionate organizations that can use your help. In
    this season of giving, let us stand with the men and women who stand up
    for America.
        At this special time of year, we reflect on the miraculous life that
    began in a humble manger 2,000 years ago. That single life changed the
    world and continues to change hearts today. To everyone celebrating
    Christmas, Laura and I wish you a day of glad
    tidings.
        Thank you for listening, and Merry Christmas.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:35 a.m. on December 22 in the
    Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on December
    23. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary on December 22 but was embargoed for release until the
    broadcast. In his address, the President referred to Secretary of
    Defense Robert M. Gates. The Office of the Press Secretary also released
    a Spanish language transcript of this address.