Your story is a lovely tribute to your mother, Dascha — she sounds like a wonderful person. It’s always so difficult when the matriarch (or patriarch) in a family — the one who was the glue holding everyone together — passes. So, often, families fall apart then, fading off in different directions, not bothering to stay in touch.

I am appalled that you and your siblings were divided between your divorced parents for Christmas! How sad.

Thanks for being the first to share a December Memories story.