Earlier Thursday, President-elect Barack Obama - who is vacationing with his family in Hawaii - paid a special tribute to US soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines and coast guard forces, in an online video and a holiday radio and address.

In his address, Obama said: "In towns and cities across America, there is an empty seat at the dinner table; in distant bases and on ships at sea, our servicemen and women can only wonder at the look on their child's face as they open a gift back home."

Later in the day, at about 4 p. m., Obama made an hour-long Christmas-Day stop at a Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay. He greeted service men and women - the Marines of the 1st Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment and 2nd Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment - at their dining hall.

Not only did Obama - wearing a blue collar shirt and green slacks - exchange greetings with the Marines, he also posed for pictures as he made his way into the mess hall.

Obama's visit, though unannounced, was rumored; and quite a few Marines said they had heard he might come.

Before his visit to the Marine Corps base, Obama spent the greater part of the breezy Christmas morning at the rented Kailua beachfront home, celebrating the holiday with his family and opening presents.