I asked my SS to tell me their favorite holiday tradition. Family and tradition mean a great deal to me during the holidays. I am truly lucky because my immediate family makes spending Christmas together a priority every year. I always appreciate that, but never considered what a gift it was until today. My parents are in their 60's, my little brother and I are in our 30's. Our friends and partners are welcome in our parent's home and we celebrate Christmas all together almost always. I am TRULY blessed for this above all other things.

My Santa sent me a beautiful card, 100% homemade. That alone is superawesome. Their favorite tradition is one I am now implementing with my family; matching PJ's for Christmas morning. As a kid, for every family picture, my mother made us all match. She LOVES seeing us in the same clothes in pictures and now she'll get to see everyone in sock monkey pajamas for Christmas morning.

Secret Santa, Thank You for letting me, in a way, include my family with yours. I want to think that we are all connected, that we are all made of stars. I know I didn't ask for permission to add my family to your tradition, but I hope you know that it's out of respect and love for what traditions mean: that we are all part of each other if we want to be.

When my family wakes up and has blurry eyed coffee and tea together on Christmas morning you and your family will be in my first thoughts. Traditions make us all a family in a way. Your postmark says you're in SLC, a beautiful town in a beautiful state (I've only been there as a layover, Salt Lake is on my must visit list). Christmas morning my family - a Ukranian, a New Yorker, a Southern Belle, a Super Nerd, and an Intellectual Snob - will be thinking of you and wishing you goodspeed back to the ones you love and hoping you get to see them whenever you can. We have never met, but your wish for me has irreversibly become my wish for you. I believe that family is given and chosen. I pray for you to be with your family, but I also want you to know that you are now part of mine. I'm a little bit sentimental (or, you know, a LOT), but I cannot thank you enough for reminding me what is most important. Thank you. My every day will be better and different because of you.