Thousands of U.S. service members spend Christmas overseas while continuing missions across Europe, the Middle East and the Indo‑Pacific. Bases decorate facilities, host special meals and chaplains hold services when security and schedules permit. Programs such as Yokota Air Base’s "Cookie Crunch," performances by military bands and the 74th Operation Christmas Drop in Guam bolster morale and provide humanitarian aid. The USO and senior‑leader outreach further support troops far from home.
How U.S. Troops Celebrate Christmas Overseas — From Decorated Bases to Operation Christmas Drop
Operation Christmas Drop highlights U.S., allies’ and partners’ capabilities to quickly mobilize and project power and airlift operations at a moment’s notice.
As families across the United States gather for the holidays, thousands of U.S. service members spend Christmas overseas while continuing their missions across Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. Though celebrations rarely mirror those at home, troops and installations routinely find meaningful ways to mark the season within operational and security constraints.
Traditions On Base And At Sea
On forward and permanent installations, personnel decorate workspaces, barracks and dining facilities with lights, trees and improvised ornaments. Many bases stage special holiday meals, with commanders and senior enlisted leaders sometimes serving food alongside civilian and enlisted staff. Chaplains hold Christmas services when schedules and security allow, meeting in chapels, hangars or temporary shelters.
At sea, sailors mark the holiday between watches: mess decks are often decorated and festive meals are scheduled around operational needs. For many deployed units the season is subdued rather than ceremonial, but small traditions and shared meals help preserve morale.
Morale Outreach And Community Events
Senior Pentagon officials have made morale calls and outreach efforts to thank service members stationed worldwide, reaching troops in locations such as South Korea, Kuwait, Norway, Greenland and aboard carriers operating in the Pacific. Local base programs and community events also play an important role in sustaining morale.
Soldiers of the U.S. Army take part in the military and civilian parade for National Day 2025 at Place des Palais – Paleizenplein on July 21, 2025, in Brussels.
In Japan, for example, Yokota Air Base runs an annual "Cookie Crunch" tradition in which leaders deliver baked cookies to airmen living in dormitories to support personnel who cannot be with family. Across the region, the U.S. Band of the Pacific and other military ensembles perform seasonal concerts that engage host-nation communities.
Operation Christmas Drop And Humanitarian Work
One of the most visible seasonal efforts in the Pacific is Operation Christmas Drop, a long-running U.S. military humanitarian airlift. In its 74th year, the operation concluded recently at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, where multinational teams prepared and airdropped hundreds of aid bundles from C-130 aircraft to remote island communities. The mission combines humanitarian assistance with airlift training and regional cooperation.
How Assignments Shape Holiday Experiences
Holiday observances vary with assignment type. In places like Japan and parts of Europe many service members serve accompanied tours, with spouses and children living overseas; those installations tend to host larger, family-focused events. Deployments to the Middle East, Africa and other forward areas are often unaccompanied, so observances there are typically smaller and constrained by security and mission priorities. Leave eligibility also differs—personnel on long-term overseas assignments may have opportunities to travel home for the holidays, while rotational or combat-deployed units generally remain in place.
Support From The USO And Local Teams
The United Service Organizations (USO) is a vital presence for many deployed personnel during the holiday season. Across Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, USO centers, mobile units and expeditionary teams provide festive meals, seasonal decorations and quiet spaces for service members to rest and connect. Mobile teams often reach remote or demanding locations, offering brief but meaningful chances to recharge.
Ultimately, traditions differ by location, mission and security posture, but service members routinely find small ways to acknowledge the season and support one another before returning to the routines of deployment.
