All I REALLY Want for Christmas: Managing Grief with Gratitude

The holiday season is usually a time of cheer — a time for giving, spending quality time with family and friends, and bringing the past year to a close in wake of what’s to come. One thing we never imagine is spending the holidays without our loved ones. We never think about what it would be like to not have a sibling, parent, or friend around to celebrate with us.

I can think back to the countless wishes I made to Santa as a child. All I wanted was that new Barbie, that stuffed animal that was bigger than me, or my very own