PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS

In the land of the wise men.

Wrapping paper, ribbon, and mounds and mounds of stuff, transformed a simple meeting room at the local American Red Cross into a Christmas scene Wednesday.

"The GI Moms" -- Yvonne Pintane, Tamara Levintza, and Linda Edgington, joined by several local elves -- shared military stories while wrapping everything from rolls of toilet paper -- "a luxury," to yellow rubber duckies wearing sunglasses and Santa Claus hats. Local GI Moms also include Diane Pulliam, Elizabeth Blower and Candace Blower.

These items, along with razors, soap, deodorant, compact discs, cameras, toothpaste and floss, socks, T-shirts, baby powder, peanuts, chips and salsa, cookies, Campbells soup, dart games, hacky sacks, books, 65 Christmas stockings and much more, will be shipped to some of the troops spending Christmas in Iraq...

"Four 12-foot Christmas trees have already been shipped," Levintza said. As have "at least three huge mailings" of packages, she said.

She said the trees and the presents will go to four local soldiers -- and their units...

"Aren't they cute?" Edgington said, holding up one of the rubber ducky Christmas tree ornaments. "I think we have as much fun doing this as they have getting it. And it keeps us occupied in a fun way," Edgington said.

I mailed the tree to CPT Patti last week...a 7 footer. Ornament decorating by family members happens this week.

A second grade class in Cedar Rapids has adopted the Gators for Christmas and are preparing construction paper stockings for each of CPT Patti's soldiers. (I can't wait to see what a 2d grader determines to be the best Christmas stocking design for a bunch of soldiers...)

Even more than usual this Christmas is shaping up to be so much about giving.