DHL Celebrates 21 Years of Bringing Holiday Joy to Troops Abroad

For over two decades, DHL Express has continued its heartfelt tradition of delivering holiday cheer to U.S. military personnel stationed overseas. Through its annual initiative, Operation Holiday Cheer, the global shipping leader is sending hundreds of freshly cut Christmas trees, festive ornaments, menorahs, holiday lights, and heartfelt letters from schoolchildren to troops deployed in Djibouti, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

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Now in its 21st year, Operation Holiday Cheer is a collaborative effort between DHL, Dees’ Nursery, and several New York-based charities. “The holidays are especially tough for those stationed away from loved ones,” said Greg Hewitt, DHL Express U.S. CEO. “This program allows us to show our appreciation and bring a bit of home to these courageous men and women. It’s a privilege for our DHL family to play a part in spreading holiday warmth to our troops.”

The festivities kick off on Monday, Dec. 9, at Dees’ Nursery in Oceanside, New York, with a celebratory event featuring veterans, community members, and local schoolchildren. Santa Claus will make a special appearance, and students will read touching letters to soldiers before a patriotic and holiday-themed performance by the American Bombshells.

Following the event, a police-escorted convoy will transport the shipment to DHL’s JFK Gateway facility. From there, the holiday packages will be loaded onto a DHL 767 aircraft, stopping briefly at the company’s Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport hub before heading to DHL’s Bahrain hub and onward to U.S. military bases in the region.

The initiative traces back to 2004, when the mother of a deployed soldier reached out to Dees’ Nursery for help sending her son a Christmas tree. This simple request inspired Dees’ Nursery, DHL, and local businessman Jim Adelis to launch the program, which has since delivered over 13,500 trees to troops stationed abroad.

This year, Dees’ Nursery provided the trees, while additional donations came from organizations such as Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon, the Lt. Dennis W. Zilinski Memorial Fund, and various VFW chapters across New York.

Operation Holiday Cheer continues to grow, uniting communities in gratitude and ensuring service members stationed far from home feel the warmth of the holiday season.

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