What is it about a cheap piece of fuzzy flannel and some glitter & glue that can make something priceless? I remember making our “name” stockings when my brother and I were young. We traced our names in glue on the cuff of the stockings, sprinkled glitter over it and tried to dust off the excess when it dried. They weren’t masterpieces, but they were ours, and they were special.

Now that he’s gone, I have his stocking. This is our second Christmas without him, and his stocking hangs again in a place of honor on the curio cabinet near the fireplace. I explained to the boys last year that it’s just to look at; Santa won’t be putting anything in that stocking. Besides, Nathan gets to celebrate Christmas in heaven, so who needs stockings there?! It’s totally awesome and perfect already.

Sometimes I like to sit in my rocking chair with my feet propped up on the hearth and just look at it. Nathan means “gift from God,” and even though I didn’t always show it when we were growing up, he was a gift to me. Even the aggravating, little-brother antics that he tormented me with over the years helped prepare me to be a mom of boys, if nothing else! I’m not perfect (and he’d be the first one to point that out, believe me!), but I want to honor his memory. This is one little way of doing that, and I think he’d like it.