I'm not looking forward to the holidays this year. My dad's been gone 4 years, my mom moved halfway across the country last year, and this March my stepmom (like a second mom to me) passed.

We can't spend Christmas with Mom or my brother (he lives far from us as well) because I can't get the vacation time.

My husband's dad passed 26 years ago right around Christmas, and he doesn't get along with his family and has no desire to see them. So there is literally no one for my husband and me to have the holidays with.

We've been talking about starting our own new holiday tradition. One thing I'm going to do is go to the butcher and pay for someone else's turkey. Last year we were on hard times but we were going to buy a turkey anyway. When I got to the butcher they told me someone else had already paid for my turkey. That was such a blessing, so now that I can afford it, I'm going to hope I'll make someone else's Christmas a little brighter.

I think on Christmas day we'll spend it the way my Jewish best friend does: go out for Chinese food and see a movie. Maybe that'll become our tradition. Unfortunately it still pales compared to having Christmas dinner with your loved ones--but you have to take what life dishes out!