Have you mailed your Christmas gifts yet? Family and friends of the Colorado Army National Guard 169 th Fires Brigade gathered on Sunday, November 12, to be sure their gifts reached their soldiers deployed to Iraq.

"Every soldier in the Brigade will receive a Christmas package," Vicki Lull, whose husband is in the 169 th, explained. "No one will be left out. We are sending 113 packages, addressed to each of the individual soldiers."

The Family Readiness Group wanted to be sure every soldier in the Brigade received a Christmas package. They gathered at the Denver Armory and filled boxes with little trees, stockings, Freedom Pens, toys, candy, cookies, and lots of other goodies. The bulging packages were then wrapped in holiday paper and labeled for each soldier. The large labels included special messages from spouses and children.

"There are lots of toys, even play-doh®," Tammy Jordan, wife of a soldier in the 169 th, said.

Gifts were donated by the families, local pen turners, Hammonds Candies, Celestial Seasonings, and Hearts Across the Miles. Remember Priority and First Class Mail should be sent by December 4 and Express mail by December 13. Dates may vary depending on APO/FPO zipcodes.