Forces Families: Your December Survival Guide (Free Support, Low-Cost Festivities, Simple Ways to Stay Connected)

December can feel different when you’re a military family. Some households are juggling deployment. Others are living far from relatives. Money might feel tighter than usual. And sometimes the emotional load of the year catches up all at once. What many families share is the ability to stay connected, even when circumstances change.

Festive London Street

As the countdown to Christmas begins, this guide brings together free help, low-cost festive ideas, community groups, and simple ways to stay connected when distance gets in the way.

What this guide covers

Free or low-cost festive activities
Money-saving tips and Forces discounts
Quick ways to feel more connected during deployment
Community groups
Emotional & well-being support
Help for anyone transitioning to Civvy Street
Where to find everything in one place on Troopr

1. Free & Low-Cost Festive Ideas (That Still Feel Special)

It can be hard not to feel the pressure of having a ‘perfect Christmas’ - that blinking elf, December 1st boxes, the huge expense of Christmas in general. It’s a lot.

But you don’t need to spend a fortune or have big plans; it’s the little moments that make the best memories. And many bases, local councils, and community centres host simple, low-cost events.

Free or low-cost things happening near you

Christmas fairs on camp and family craft sessions
Online/in-person carol sing-alongs
Local remembrance or winter services
Children’s message-making activities for deployed parents

For deployed families

Little Troopers run free online Christmas craft activities and digital storybooks for children with a parent away. They’re fun, simple, and genuinely help kids feel closer to the parent they’re missing, which is always harder over Christmas.

2. Save on Christmas Gifts & Activities With Forces Discounts

The festive countdown has officially begun, and so has the chance to make your money stretch further. Whether you’re prepping early, budgeting carefully, or hunting down the perfect gift, if you’re part of the Defence community, you’re in an even better position. You have access to exclusive savings through:

Defence Discount Service (DDS)

The official Defence Discount service for the Armed Forces community. Free for eligible Defence personnel, veterans and families, with discounts from 14,000+ brands. You can get savings on:

Days out & festive activities (theme parks, cinemas, attractions)
Christmas gifts (high-street brands, tech, beauty, sports)
Travel (train tickets, hotels, family trips)
Food & essentials (supermarkets & restaurants)

If you’re buying presents anyway, check the discount before you buy — you’ll often save 10–30% without doing anything extra!

Blue Light Card (BLC)

A Blue Light Card is one of the UK’s most popular discount schemes for people working in the Armed Forces, emergency services, NHS, social care sector and teaching community. For a small fee of £4.99 for two years, members unlock access to a huge range of exclusive offers from over 15,000 partner brands. These discounts cover everyday essentials and big-ticket purchases alike, including retail, travel, dining, leisure, days out, technology, home goods and more. Members can use their savings both online and in-store, helping them cut costs throughout the year and stretch their money further on everything from weekly shopping to holidays and experiences.

Reward for Forces

Reward for Forces is a free discount programme designed for the UK Armed Forces community, including serving personnel, veterans, families, reservists, cadets, MOD civil servants, service widows/widowers, Royal British Legion members, and visiting U.S. or Canadian forces. Members get access to thousands of online and in-store discounts covering dining, retail, holidays, cinema, days out and more, all through a simple free registration on the Reward for Forces website. For those who want extra perks, an optional Premium Gold Membership is available. For a one-off £4.99 lifetime fee, members receive a physical card that unlocks additional exclusive discounts, including savings at theme parks, restaurants and further stackable offers. If the card is ever lost or damaged, a replacement can be purchased for the same price.

2. Community Support: Where Forces families can connect this December

When routines shift in December, and families are scattered, local and online communities can make a big difference. There are some fantastic charities and support groups here for you at this time of year - and throughout the whole year.

SSAFA Community Christmas Appeal: SSAFA offers confidential support for the Armed Forces Community so no one has to battle alone at Christmas, with donations going towards items like hygiene packs, Christmas food parcels, and volunteer training.

Royal British Legion ‘Festive Friends’ Meetups: Local branches and clubs organise a variety of Christmas-themed meetups and social events to combat loneliness and bring their communities together.

Military Wives Choirs (MWC) MWC is a charity (originally affiliated with SSAFA) that brings together women from across the military community, wives/partners of serving personnel, veterans, mothers, sisters, and daughters, to connect through singing in choirs. There are dozens of choirs across the UK (and some abroad), totalling well over 2,000 members, offering a supportive, friendly social network where people can meet others with shared experiences.

Help for Heroes Winter Wellbeing – Help for Heroes Christmas appeal encourages the public to support veterans who may be experiencing loneliness and isolation. The core message is to help veterans start a brighter new chapter filled with hope and community, and to show them they are valued. The appeal offers three main ways to support veterans: Send a Message: Add a message of hope, thanks, or good cheer to an online message wall to remind veterans they are not forgotten. Make a Donation and Give a Gift.

Veterans’ Breakfast Club Xmas Specials – Some Veterans' Breakfast Clubs hold special Christmas events, such as annual parties, meals, and fundraisers.

RAFA ‘Christmas Wings’ Events – Individual RAFA branches organise a variety of events for their members and local communities around the Christmas period, such as Christmas quizzes, lunches, and market stalls. These events raise money for both local branch funds and the central Wings Appeal.

Find community support near you

3. Staying Connected When Someone’s Away

Distance hits harder this time of year. But connection doesn’t need to be emotionally heavy or time-consuming.

Try these simple, doable ideas:

One photo a day – everyday moments, not posed ones
Daily voice notes - rather than long scheduled conversations
Shared playlists - all add songs through December
Watch the same TV episode each week or listen to the same audiobook
Photo swaps of everyday life, not just “special” moments
A “messages jar” for kids – one small note a day from the deployed parent

4. Support for Military Personnel Transitioning into Civvy Street

Transition can bring uncertainty, timelines change, job searches take time, and financial adjustments happen gradually. December can amplify that.

You don’t need to have everything sorted by January!

Where to get practical help

Housing and accommodation guidance
Training, upskilling and job advice
Translating your military skills and writing your CV
Money & Financial support for budgeting and benefits guidance

5. Wellbeing and Emotional Support for Military Families

NHS data shows timely support reduces crisis escalation, especially during isolation or transition, but please remember you are not alone. A range of dedicated and general support services are available 24/7, including throughout the Christmas period, for veterans, serving personnel, and their families:

Combat Stress Helpline: Provides confidential 24/7 advice and support for veterans and their families. (Call 0800 138 1619)

General support services are also available 24/7:

Samaritans: Confidential emotional support for anyone in distress (Call 116 123).
Shout: Free, confidential text service for immediate crisis support (Text "SHOUT" to 85258).
NHS Mental Health Crisis Support: Call 111, option 2, for connection to a mental health professional.

Whatever This December Looks Like, Support Is Here

There’s no right or wrong way to do December.

As a military family, you may have a loved one deployed, living miles from family, but support is out there - and as long as you remember to move that blinking elf every day (or throw it in the bin) - you’re already set to have a great December!

Whether this month feels calm, busy, emotional, or somewhere in between, support is available, and you’re not navigating it on your own.