For Obamas, Service and Gratitude on Thanksgiving

President Obama criticized for leaving God out of his Thanksgiving address

The First Family spent a quiet Thanksgiving holiday at the White House Thursday, but the president's holiday was not without event: the absence of the mention God out of his Thanksgiving address ruffled a few feathers -- of non-turkeys.

"Unreal that Obama doesn't mention God in Thanksgiving message. Militant atheist. To whom does he think we are giving thanks?" conservative syndicated columnist Ben Shapiro tweeted.

"When you do not mention God on Thanksgiving," he continued, "that is like not mentioning Jesus on Easter or Moses on Passover. Integral to the holiday."

The trimmings of president politics on a national holiday of aside, the First Family committed itself to service; President Obama along with First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha filled care packages at Washington's Capital Area Foodbank Wednesday.

The White House said the president personally called ten service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama focused his Thanksgiving address on servicemen and women who will soon be on their way home. Just last month, Obama declared the Iraq war over and said troops would be home by year's end.

There are some blessings we all share,"  President Obama said in his Thanksgiving address. "We're especially grateful for the Americans who defend our country overseas. To all the service members eating Thanksgiving dinner far from your families, the American people are thinking of you today."

Obama for America asked readers to post "Stories of Thanks" on its website.

And for good measure, the Obama campaign got in the spirit of the Black Friday retail mania. ABC News had a preview of the goods from Chicago campaign headquarters. They've got Obama-Biden themed yoga pants, a campaign button with First Dog, Bo, and a coffee mug with Obama's once-elusive birth certificate.