The death last week of Marine Capt. Kyle Van De Giesen of North Attleboro in Afghanistan should serve as a prompt, if one is needed, to support our troops in whatever way possible, including gifts of holidays cards, packages and trees.

The following are just three of the ways to send seasonal cheer and appreciation and encouragement to the troops. Some deadlines are coming up fast.

The Postal Service offers a discount on its largest Priority Mail Flat Rate box to help loved ones of U.S. military personnel. Recommended mailing date for the most economical postage to overseas military installations, including Iraq and Afghanistan, is Nov. 13.

Free Military Care Kits, designed for military families sending packages overseas, can be ordered by calling 1-800-610-8734. Each kit includes two "America Supports You" large Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, four medium-sized Priority Mail Flat-Rate boxes, six Priority Mail labels, one roll of Priority Mail tape and six customs forms with envelopes.

For full details on mailings to service personnel, including costs, deadlines, conditions and restrictions, visit the United States Postal Service online or contact your local post office. Trees for Troops, a program of the Christmas Spirit Foundation, the non-profit branch of the National Christmas Tree Association, plans to deliver 15,000 live trees to military service members and their families throughout this country and overseas through tree farms that particpate the weekend of Dec. 4-6. Visit http://www.christmastree.org/home.cfm for locations. Trees were shipped last Christmas to 53 bases, including two overseas.

The American Red Cross is again teaming with Pitney Bowes to deliver holiday cards to service members, veterans and their families. The campaign began accepting cards Monday at Holiday Mail For Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456. All must be postmarked no later than Dec. 7 or will be returned to the sender. Cards will be screened for hazardous materials and reviewed by Red Cross volunteers. They are then sent in time for the holidays. Guidelines are as follows:

Do...

Ensure that all cards are signed.

Make cards more meaningful to a wide variety of recipients by using "Dear Service Member, Family or Veteran" rather than any more specific language. You are encouraged to send holiday-neutral cards rather than religious-themed cards. Cards addressed to specific individuals cannot be delivered through this program.

Limit the number of cards to 15 from any one person or 50 from any one school class, business or group. If you are mailing a large quantity, please bundle the cards and place them in large mailing envelopes. Each card does not need its own envelope, as envelopes will be removed from all cards before distribution.

Do not...

Send letters. Only cards are being accepted.

Include e-mail or home addresses on the cards, as the program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.

Include cards with excessive amounts of glitter. Because cards may be received by wounded service members and veterans in hospitals, large quantities of glitter could aggravate existing health problems. Include inserts of any kind, including photos, as these items will be removed during the reviewing process.

Perhaps you know a local family with a loved one in the service.

Ask if you can donate a gift to their shipping package or if it would be OK to send a card.

Thousands of service men and women will be away from home for the holidays. You can help make sure they're remembered by sending a little bit of home to wherever they may happen to be.

BETSY SHEA-TAYLOR, a former editor and writer for The Sun Chronicle, is a freelance writer. She can be reached at prosewing@aol.com.