Play Santa to a soldier--via Amazon

Amazon.com said Thursday that it has created a service that will let customers send gift certificates to members of the armed forces. The service is designed to show support for U.S. military personnel, Amazon said. A visitor can log on to a special site to buy $20 gift certificates.

Amazon will send the gift certificates to the Department of Defense, which will then distribute them to each branch of the armed forces. Customers also have the option of attaching personal notes. The man or woman receiving the gift certificate can then spend it at Amazon. "We are especially grateful for Amazon.com's initiative as a way for the American people to show their appreciation to those who selflessly serve their country," said John Molino, deputy assistant secretary of defense. --Greg Sandoval, Special to ZDNet News