Like thousands of American military families, Tiffany Reeves' 4-year-old son will spend Christmas without his daddy this year.
Meanwhile, Sgt. Mike Reeves will celebrate the holiday with his comrades in Iraq -- where they have been since Jan. 12, as part of the National Guard Detachment 1 Company C 150th Engineer Battalion 155th Brigade out of Mississippi.

Sgt. Reeves has been gone from his Amory, Miss., home since August 2004, when he was sent to train before being deployed to Iraq. He has returned home only 19 days in the past year and a half. "He's missing so much," said Reeves' wife, Tiffany.

"This will be the first Christmas we've been completely without him." Countless families are facing similar situations, as the war in Iraq continues through Thanksgiving and Christmas. "With the holiday season coming along and having family together, that's what's so heart wrenching -- more so for him," Reeves said of her husband.

Indeed, this is the time of year when many Americans look forward to festive family get-togethers -- and when those who are blessed enough to be surrounded by friends and family reach out to those who aren't as fortunate.

Mountain Ridge Farms, a North Carolina-based Christmas tree farm, hopes to do its part this year. Launching its "Trees for the Troops" program, Mountain Ridge Farms is partnering with Operation USO Care Package to bring some much-needed cheer to the men and women in uniform serving overseas.

Mountain Ridge Farms -- a leading supplier of direct-shipped Christmas trees and wreaths -- will donate a minimum of $10 per tree and $4.50 per wreath to Operation USO Care Package. Each tree and wreath ordered as part of the Trees for the Troops program will be adorned with a yellow ribbon, signifying support for our servicemen and women.

The trees and wreaths also make great gifts, especially for families with loved ones serving overseas during this holiday season.

Mountain Ridge Farms' trees are grown in the Blue Ridge Mountains, along the border of North Carolina and Virginia, with shipping centers located in both states. By delivering directly from the field, and shipping UPS to your door, Mountain Ridge Farms provides the freshest product available, and the company offers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

The company cuts and ships Monday through Thursday each week until Christmas. Delivery takes 1 to 5 days, depending on distance, to ensure the trees and wreaths remain fresh throughout the holiday season.

When Tiffany Reeves found out about Mountain Ridge Farms' Trees for the Troops program, it moved her to tears. "I cannot tell you how I feel -- how gratifying it is," she said. "The war has been going for so long, and for people to remember there are still guys over there -- that's what makes me the happiest."

David Barker, a partner with Mountain Ridge Farms, said he hopes the Trees for the Troops program will bring comfort to those who are serving and their families. "The hope is that some of us who are not personally affected by the war will at least remember the people who are," Barker said. "The families of servicemen and women feel better knowing that programs like Operation USO Care Package are in place to help their loved ones while they are away.

"If we can raise some money for the troops while also raising some awareness, then we have done something," Barker said.

Tiffany Reeves said the care packages offer comfort from home for soldiers like her husband. "It's wonderful," she said. "For a company like Mountain Ridge to bring this program along, it makes me feel overwhelming pride and thankfulness for people to do something like that for us.

"People say my husband is a hero," Reeves added, "but we don't look at it like that. He's over there doing his job. He's always said, 'I hope I'm fighting a war my son will never have to fight. I'm doing this so he won't ever have to go.'"

However, Reeves added, "Mike is one of those kind of people who truly believes he's over there for a good cause. He's not been one bit resentful for being over there. He believes he's doing a good thing, and that helps me accept it better."