Editor's Letter December 2020

I like to plan and prep for the holidays so that when December rolls around, I can relax a bit and enjoy the season. I’m a big believer that my kids don’t need more stuff and that I’d rather give gifts of time together and experiences to create memories. However, that didn’t work out so well for me last year. I was very pleased with the gifts we’d gotten the girls, which included tickets to a concert for one of their fave performers (out of town, so a built-in mini-getaway) and a trip to Disney World. Aaaand … drum roll … both were canceled. So my grand plan fell flat. If you’re reading this and you have teen girls, please feel free to send any and all suggestions for great gifts my way. But Christmas is much more than gifts, and our Holiday Guide has you (and me!) covered to help make this year special in your home. Check it out.

As I’m writing this letter, I’m thinking of how to word this next paragraph, as I plan to mention that this December marks the fifth anniversary of my dad’s unexpected passing. I have my Spotify “Daily Drive” playing in the background. Once it ends, Spotify continues playing music, and the very first song generated is “Kodachrome” by Paul Simon. I don’t typically listen to Paul Simon, so he rarely shows up on my playlists. But do you know who loved Paul Simon? My dad! So as I sit in front of my computer, trying to think of what to say, Dad drops by to say “Hi!” There’s not much else I can write after Pops steals the show here, so I’ll just say we miss him dearly and think of him often. He lives on in our hearts and memories.

Merry Christmas, Kansas City!