Holiday Celebrations

Christmas Tree Decorating Parties

Decorating the Christmas tree each year has always included the family tradition of the kids each putting their special ornaments on the tree. Since Patrick's death, we continue the tradition, but we invite his friends over each year for a chili dinner and tree decorating celebration. Our new tradition is that each year, either Brendan or Emily put Patrick's last ornament, a peace sign I bought him at Spencer's, on the tree first. We decorate around the peace sign. It is also the last ornament to be taken down each January.

The fact that Patrick’s friends continued to show up to help decorate the tree was a huge support for the whole family, particularly in the first few years.