In Memoriam

I know for a number of people, Christmas is terribly bittersweet, as family gatherings emphasize those no longer with us.

So, I thought we'd take a minute to give a nod to those who will not be with us this holiday season.

My dad's parents: my grandmother's passing means an altered Christmas routine for the first time in my 25 years.

My mom.

 

Good thread, UT. Sorry to hear about your loved ones.

For us, Grandma passed right before Thanksgiving. It was really a blessing, but still hard.

We also had a local lady die last week in a horrible accident. I've been thinking of her family a lot.

 

We have a very good friend who got a very bad diagnosis in August. This may well be his last Christmas Eve with us after 20 of them. If anyone's drinking a Newcastle tonight, raise it for Dr. Ed, OK?

 

God bless us all, everyone.

 

Condolences, UT.

I'm in a similar situation. I got a call from my Mom yesterday and found out my godmother died at 3 a.m. Happy freaking holidays.

 

That sucks Good Doc.

Always awful to lose loved ones, but it seems particularly cruel around the holidays.

Best wishes to everyone who posts on this thread...and those whom they are thinking of.

 

Thanks for starting this, UT. I never miss my dad more than I do at Christmas time. He always made it such a special day and it hasn't been the same since he died in 1996.

Doc, sorry to hear about your godmother.

I hope everyone has a healthy and happy holiday otherwise.

 

The toll this year: a good friend, an uncle, Grandma. How many more days until 2007?

 

Doc -- sorry to hear that, man. That sucks.

Joe -- you and me both. Bring on '07.

 

I'm lucky in that the family is unchanged. I hope my stepfather can start to feel better, but it FAR from life-threatening.

A dear aunt of a friend of mine, with terminal cancer, made it to Christmas after she was not supposed to. My friend flew back up and will get to see her one last time.

Things like that make me remember that my situation, no matter what I think, isn't so bad.

 

In 1980 I took vacation and went home for the holidays. My dad and I drove an hour to pick up his mom a couple days before Christmas and when we got there she was dead. Yeah, that was a bad one.

 

Oh man, Frank. That stinks. Royally.