A Christmas Prayer

Christmas Picture Frame

My sweet daughter Candice Faye died October 24, 1994, four days before her 13th birthday. We were devastated. In between Aimee and Robbie, she was the glue, the laughter, the love.

As the holidays approached the next year, we were all wondering how to cope, when my youngest sister wrote this poem.

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

This is the time of year
When we give to each other
The greatest gifts of all;
Our time together,
Our memories.
For us there will always be, at Christmas,
An empty chair, an unbought gift
A smile not shared
For someone is missing ~
Whose caring and love
Created joy in abundance
For all blessed enough
To have known her.
It is my prayer
That I may be
Thankful
To have been included
In the parenthesis in time
That was her life
And for my memories of her.
With love for Candi, Aunt Patti 11/97


This loving tribute was and is a tender reminder, that, although we miss her terribly still, we will always have our memories of The Gift of Candi in our lives. Wendy Vaniglia, Mom

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Even Tradition Has Become Unfamiliar

We are taking the familiar hour long trip to our grandparents' house for Thanksgiving. It is a tradition, but things are very different for my family this year. My mom is in the front seat with tears running down her tired face, and she lets out an occasional sniffle. The car is quiet, almost too quiet. If you listen closely you can hear the breaking of a mother's relentlessly hurting heart. We finally get to Grandma's. The usual hugs and kisses. "The family is fine," my Dad tells everyone. Turkey, potatoes, rolls. Everything tastes the same as every year. Grandpa and Dad are talking about family and years past. Mom is unusually quiet, she is still upset. We used to look forward to Holidays, but not anymore. Even Tradition Has Become Unfamiliar.
~ Aimee Vaniglia, Thanksgiving Day - 1 month after her sister Candi died.

Candi's Gift Video