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Obama, his wife Michelle and daughters Malia, 13, and Sasha, 10, went to the chapel at Kaneohe Marine base after singing carols and opening their presents at the vacation residence they are renting.

Later, the president and First Lady returned to the base to visit Marines and their families. Obama greeted the group with a hearty “Merry Christmas” and “Mele Kalikimakas” the same sentiment in the Hawaiian language.

Obama held babies, including one little tot who put his hand in the president’s mouth and tweaked his nose, and chatted to marines and their wives.

The White House said that Obama also made 10 telephone calls to service members from the Marines, Air Force, Navy and US Army who are serving overseas, on Christmas Eve.

Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill meanwhile visited wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethsesda, Maryland.

In a Christmas message, the president and his wife on Saturday thanked all US troops and their families for their service to the United States.

“Our troops are coming home. And across America, military families are being reunited,” the president said in his weekly radio and Internet address.

“Let’s say a prayer for all our troops standing post all over the world, especially our brave men and women in Afghanistan who are serving, even as we speak, in harm’s way to protect the freedoms and security we hold dear,” Obama added.

The first lady reminded listeners that Christmas was a time to give thanks.

“Our veterans, troops, and military families sacrifice so much for us,” Michelle Obama said. “So this holiday season, let’s make sure that all of them know just how much we appreciate everything they do.”

US forces completed their withdrawal from Iraq this month, formally ending their mission in the country after a near nine-year war.

Source : http://urbanchristiannews.com