“I swear I packed Snowflake and all of her accessories Matt bought over the years to make her laugh. When I unpacked, she was nowhere to be found. I thought maybe she would forget. She did not.”

‘Dear Snowflake, I hope you can come this year. I haven’t seen you in two years. Love, Quinn.’ I BROKE. This was HIS thing—he had a childlike enthusiasm for Christmas. How can I do it without him?’: Widowed mom shares hope for ‘a little Christmas magic’

‘I’ve really dropped the ball this holiday season. No family photos. No holiday cards. I haven’t even wrapped presents.’: Mom realizes what’s most important for her family this holiday season
“I never mailed the kids’ lists to Santa. We have yet to make a gingerbread house or watch ‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’ It feels like I’ve dropped the ball, it has broken and shattered, and like I don’t even have the energy or desire to clean up the mess.”

‘Christmas Eve finally came. I had to open that big box first. I tore into the paper and there she was – a My Size Barbie.’: Woman remembers what matters most this holiday season, ‘The pricelessness of being together’
“Christmas, when I was 5-years-old. I remember in the back stood a box approximately 3-foot-tall with MY name on it. Of course, my brother couldn’t help but tease me there is only a small gift inside, and the big box was just a trick. But I knew.”

‘Elf on the Shelf is a HARD NO for me — Here’s why.’
“Feeling exhausted after a long day of, I don’t know, being a parent? Is your only desire to drain a glass of chardonnay and sleep after working 8 hours and doing 4 loads of laundry? TOO BAD, MOM! WINKSY NEEDS A NEW, CLEVER HIDING SPOT!”

‘Today is not about what you’ve been through in the past and it’s not about what you may go through in the future. Today is only about today, Finn.’
“I turned to Michael and we were both sobbing, and for some reason, it occurred to me for a second that it seemed really quiet for Disney World. As we turned our heads to the massive line behind us, the entire mass was smiling and wiping tears.”