Holiday Traditions

One of the things we've tried hard to do this holiday season was to find ways to honor you and keep your memory an abiding part of our family. Your mother and I talked several times about things that we could possibly due to make your memory a part of the holidays each year. Ultimately what we decided on was this:

Thanksgiving: For the Thanksgiving holiday we set an extra place at our holiday dinner table. On it we placed your picture. We did this as a reminder that you are still a part of our family. It helps us remember that while you're away from us know, your memory is still with us and one day we will all be reunited. We also did it so that if you ever have the chance to look in on us during the Thanksgiving holiday, you'll see that we still remember you, we still love you, and we still miss you. Ultimately we did it because we just wanted you to be there with us. We will do this every year.

Christmas: For Christmas we bought a baby Christmas tree. These are different than traditional Christmas trees because they're not cut off at the stump. Instead they are removed from the ground (including all the roots) and carefully placed into potters. This is done so that after the holiday is over, the tree can be transplanted into the ground where it will take root and continue to grow. Now that the holidays are wrapping up, we've asked a family friend to let us plant the three in their yard where we hope it will grow and flourish. We will do this every year until one day we will have an entire yard full of trees all dedicated to you. We also decided to purchase one ornament per year to put on each tree. This year we chose a beautifully crafted glass ornament called the 'Wishing Star'. We did this not just because the ornament was beautiful, but because your mother and I both shared the same wish this Christmas even though we knew it wouldn't come true: we wanted you back.

We love and miss you son. Happy Holidays.

With Love,
Your Father