Of the 1,400 military personnel serving overseas today, 164 of them are stationed in one of Canada's longest serving peacekeeping missions, in the Golan Heights.

Canada has been a leading member of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), established in 1974 to watch over the plateau between Israeli and Syria.

In the 30 years since then, Canada has done 80 rotations in UNDOF. More than 12,000 Canadian Forces members have served in the Golan Heights' Operation Danaca.

"The continued presence of Canada and its allies on the Golan Heights is vital to the long-term restoration of peace, security and stability in the surrounding area," Chief of Defence Staff Ray Henault said earlier this year.

Camp Ziouani is situated in a dangerous zone, with landmines buried all around. Lebanon and its thousands of Hezbollah fighters are 35 kilometres away. Syrian troops are positioned 15 kilometres from the camp.

Cpl. Keith Mullins from Edmonton is on the latest watch. He helps patrol the narrow strip of land dividing the Israeli and Syrian armies.

He believes enough in his job to spend his third Christmas away from his children, and he says they understand. But he can't help but be emotional about the situation.

"They all realize that you're part of the military and you go where you have to go," he told CTV's Murray Oliver on Christmas morning, tears streaming down his face as he spoke.

On Christmas Day, the mood is a bit more relaxed at Camp Ziouani -- but it's still a working day.

Troops take breaks to read letters and Christmas cards from Canadian schoolchildren, and to take phone calls from family and friends.

The phone calls are important, says Pvt. Tammy Stevenson. Her children are in Canada, and her husband is serving in Bosnia. "We try to do the best we can," she says of keeping in touch. "We're in contact with them all the time. It's difficult."

Maj. Mike Sears, the deputy commanding officer, says Christmas is hard on the soldiers, "but I think in the bigger picture of things they understand the value and the reason why they're here and they deal with it, knowing that."