This will be our last Christmas as an active-duty military family. As we drove home with our pre-ordered Christmas tree in the car, the scent of fresh pine filling the air, I found myself drifting through memories of holidays past. Over 23 years, military moves have scattered our Christmases across the globe in both familiar and unexpected places. Join me as I revisit some of these cherished moments, from quiet homecomings to adventurous escapes.

Last year, we celebrated right here in California, picking up our tree from the same local church we’ve turned to this season. It had been a few years since we’d opted for a live one, and the ritual felt like coming home. We decorated to the soaring sounds of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, with a cozy fireplace video flickering on the TV. Once the ornaments were hung, each one a reminder of places we have traveled, we sipped warm beverages of our choice, switched on the tree lights, turned off the house lamps, and simply sat in the glow, mesmerized by the twinkling branches. It was a nice Christmas, just us at home.

But the year before, December 2023, brought a twist of surprise and emotion. I’d returned to the United States early from my husband’s assignment in Belgium, as I shared in a previous article about my overseas struggles. That month, I immersed myself with family in Kansas, meeting my niece and nephew for the first time. Tears flowed freely amid bursts of laughter as I read bedtime stories to my niece. Only my mom and one sister knew of my early return; it became the ultimate Christmas gift, a family surprise that wrapped the holiday in pure delight.

Shifting gears to 2022, we ventured out for the holidays in Rotterdam, Netherlands. We marveled at the quirky Cube Houses, strolled through the vibrant Markthal, and enjoyed a spectacular brunch atop the Euromast, overlooking the New Meuse River. The six Christmases before that, from Belgium to Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Virginia, were mostly spent at home, especially during the COVID-19 years when travel felt unwise. Among them, 2019 stands out as our last with our beloved fur baby, Angel, whose playful presence by her Christmas stocking we still miss.

Further back, 2015 brought us together with my family in Kansas. We drove out and stayed with my parents, seizing the rare chance for everyone to gather. Professional family portraits captured the moment, big group shots, and individual family ones. Christmas morning was chaos in the best way: the tree was buried under a mountain of gifts, leaving barely enough space for us all to squeeze in and unwrap amid excited chatter.

In contrast, 2014 was a low-key affair at home in Imperial Beach, California, where we chose rest over travel. The two years prior, 2013 and 2012, took us to Vermont with my husband’s family, reuniting with in-laws, nieces, and nephews in snowy gatherings filled with chatter and shared meals. From 2011 to 2009, we hunkered down in Manassas, Virginia, and Seaside, California, knee-deep in house renovations that turned holidays into cozy breaks from sawdust and paint. And in 2008 and 2007, Norfolk, Virginia, was our quiet holiday haven.

One particularly poignant memory is Christmas 2006, the last time both our families were in the same state. We split the days: savoring raviolis in a slow-cooked marinara “gravy” with my side, then joining a lively potluck with the in-laws. The previous year, 2005, whisked us away on a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands, a standout adventure thanks to the thrilling bike descent down Haleakala. Reading the liability waiver about potential risks left my jaw on the floor; I hesitated until the very end before signing. But gliding down the hill with the breathtaking views made it worth it.

We stayed put in 2004, cozy in our Jacksonville, Florida apartment, and in 2003, we settled into one of the newly built homes on base in Corpus Christi, Texas. With such short stints at those bases, travel seemed impractical. Our very first Christmas as a new military couple? A magical escape to Disney World, where the holiday lights and wonder kick-started our nomadic traditions.

As military life winds down, these scattered Christmases remind me that home isn’t a fixed address; it’s the people and moments we carry with us. This final active-duty holiday feels like a bridge to new adventures, where we can root deeper and create traditions unbound by orders. Here’s to the holidays ahead, filled with the same spirit of resilience and joy that has defined our journey.

Originally published on LinkedIn on December 8, 2025. [Read it here]