President and First Lady Obama sent all Americans, especially the troops overseas, a special Christmas greeting today.
Transcript via The White House:
THE PRESIDENT: Merry Christmas everybody! Now, we’re not going to take much of your time because today is about family and being together with the ones you love. And luckily for me, that means I get a little help on the weekly address, too.
THE FIRST LADY: The holidays at the White House are such a wonderful time of year.
We fill the halls with decorations, Christmas trees, and carolers – and this year, we invited more than 65,000 people to join us.
Our theme was “A Children’s Winter Wonderland” – and Americans young and old had a chance to come together and celebrate the season.
THE PRESIDENT: And today, our family will join millions across the country in celebrating the birth of Jesus – the birth not just of a baby in a manger, but of a message that has changed the world: to reach out to the sick; the hungry; the troubled; and above all else, to love one another as we would be loved ourselves.
THE FIRST LADY: We hope that this holiday season will be a chance for us to live out that message—to bridge our differences and lift up our families, friends, and neighbors… and to reconnect with the values that bind us together.
And as a country, that also means celebrating and honoring those who have served and sacrificed for all of us—our troops, veterans, and their families.
THE PRESIDENT: In just a few days, our combat mission in Afghanistan will be over. Our longest war will come to a responsible end. And that gives us an opportunity to step back and reflect upon all that these families have given us. We’re able to gather with family and friends because our troops are willing to hug theirs goodbye and step forward to serve. After a long day, we can come home because they’re willing to leave their families and deploy. We can celebrate the holidays because they’re willing to miss their own.
THE FIRST LADY: And so, as our troops continue to transition back home—back to our businesses, our schools, our congregations, and our communities—it’s up to all of us to serve them as well as they have served us.
You can visit JoiningForces.gov to find out how you can honor and support the troops, veterans, and military families in your communities.
That’s something we can do not only during the holiday season, but all year round.
THE PRESIDENT: So Merry Christmas, everybody. May God bless you all. And we wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2015.
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, but it is important to remember those who can’t be with their families. The brave men and women who risk their lives so that we all can safely enjoy every holiday deserve our thanks for their sacrifice.
Millions of Americans will also be working today so that you can get a cup of coffee, or pick up that last minute item during your Christmas travels. They too deserve your thanks. They are giving their Christmas for low wages in order to provide for themselves and their families.
If you are lucky enough to be with your loved ones on this day, remember those who can’t be, and appreciate everything that they do all year long.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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