[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 52 (Monday, January 2, 2006)]
[Page 1917]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

December 24, 2005

    Good morning. On this Christmas Eve, Laura and I send our best 
wishes to families across America as you gather in your homes to 
celebrate the holiday. Christmas is a time of joy and peace, and we hope 
the holiday season brings all of you happy reunions with families and 
friends and time to rest and reflect as you look forward to a new year.
    At Christmas, we give thanks for the gift of the birth of Christ and 
for the blessings that surround us every day of the year. In this great 
and prosperous land, we have so much to be thankful for, and Christmas 
reminds us of our obligation to share these blessings with others. There 
are many among us who are hurting and require a helping hand. In the new 
year, I hope Americans will look for ways to volunteer your time and 
talents where they are needed most. By reaching out to a neighbor in 
need, we make our Nation a more just and compassionate place.
    This Christmas, we remember our fellow citizens who suffered from 
the hurricanes and other disasters that struck our Nation this past 
year. We pray for their strength as they continue to recover and rebuild 
their lives and their communities.
    During the holiday season and throughout the year, we think with 
pride of the men and women of our Armed Forces, who are keeping our 
Nation safe and defending freedom around the world. In Iraq, 
Afghanistan, and elsewhere, they are protecting our liberty by spreading 
liberty to others, and all Americans are grateful to our troops for 
their courage and commitment.
    We're also grateful to their families. Staying behind when a family 
member goes to war is a heavy burden, and it's particularly hard at 
Christmas. We pray for our military families; we ask Almighty God to 
bestow His protection and care on their loved ones as they protect our 
Nation from grave dangers.
    We also remember the heroic men and women who have made the ultimate 
sacrifice for our Nation's freedom. We pray that God will comfort the 
loved ones they left behind. The sacrifices of these brave troops have 
rescued millions from lives of tyranny and sorrow and made America more 
secure. We will always cherish the memory of each of our fallen service 
men and women and count it a privilege to be citizens of the country 
they served.
    The times we live in have brought many challenges to our country. 
And at such times, the story of Christmas brings special comfort and 
confidence. Christmas reminds us that we can trust in God's promise of 
peace on Earth and good will toward men. On a night more than 2,000 
years ago, an angel of the Lord brought good tidings of great joy: The 
God of Heaven had come to Earth, and He would be with us always.
    Thank you for listening, and Merry Christmas.

Note: The address was recorded at 7:10 a.m. on December 22 in the 
Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on December 
24. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on December 23 but was embargoed for release until the 
broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.