Christmas and the holidays are a time to be spent with family and friends, but for many among us, the call of duty demands their time and attention be spent elsewhere on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.

There are the first responders, firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement, 911 operators — all ready to respond at a moment’s notice to keep others safe during the holidays. They either spend their holidays on duty, or ready to leave out the door at the sound of a pager.

Then consider the nurses, doctors and others who spend their holidays in the hospital, tending to the sick and injured. They too must spend time away from their loved ones to care for the needs of others.

Crisis centers, likewise, have to keep someone on the phones during the holiday season. They might even save a life or two by being a listening ear during a hard time.

While many businesses close for Christmas Day and Thanksgiving, others remain open — retail stores, gas stations and some restaurants. Behind the registers and doing everything that needs to be done, hardworking employees spend their holidays providing for customers, whether they want to be at work or not. But that’s a subject for another day.

Finally, think about the ones who give back to the community without being paid. Across the country, volunteers spend their holidays preparing meals and places to sleep for people who might be down on their luck.

All of the people have one thing in common: they are sacrificing their time with family and/or friends to meet the needs of others. They also deserve our thanks for that sacrifice. So to all who have been mentioned, and others we might have failed to note, thank you for spending your holidays in the service of others.