Bush Takes Time to Salute the Military for Sacrifices

President Bush took a short break from a family holiday gathering Tuesday to call nine members of the U.S. military around the world to thank them for their service “in defense of freedom.”

On Christmas Eve, Bush and his family attended a candlelight service in the chapel at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland’s Catoctin Mountains.

The president has been at Camp David since Saturday. He is scheduled to depart Thursday for his ranch near Crawford, Texas, where he plans to stay until early January.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Bush began his day with an indoor workout and then made the calls.

“The president called them to thank them for their sacrifices and to let them know the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with them -- to express his appreciation and that of the American people for the sacrifices they are making in the defense of freedom,” Stanzel said.

The recipients of the presidential phone calls represented all branches of the services and were stationed at posts in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Afghanistan and South Korea, as well as aboard vessels at sea, Stanzel said.

In keeping with family tradition, the Bushes planned to have a Christmas Eve dinner of tamales and enchiladas, a taste acquired during their years in Midland, Texas.

Their Christmas Day menu is beef tenderloin, potatoes Anna and creamed spinach.

Joining the president and First Lady Laura Bush at Camp David were their twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna; his parents, former President Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; his sister, Dorothy Koch, and her family; his brothers Neil and Marvin and their families; and Laura Bush’s mother, Jenna Welch.

The first lady recently confessed that a number of Bush family traditions have fallen by the wayside now that they live in the White House and their daughters are grown.

Their Christmas trees are trimmed by others, and the hot chocolate that used to follow that tradition has been reset for Christmas morning to accompany the opening of presents.

Another change is that the girls no longer wake up their parents on Christmas morning.

Now, Mrs. Bush said, “we make the hot chocolate and wake them up. By that time, the president and I have already eaten our cereal.”

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Times wire services contributed to this report.