For Teens December 25, 2017 Issue

Christmas after a divorce

Marilyn Wickstrom

It was a few weeks before the first Christmas after my parents’ divorce. I was dreading the holiday. My dad was living with another woman and her six kids, and we were expected to visit him on Christmas. My mom would be alone.

As the holiday approached, I felt depressed and sad. Even though we had often lived in fear of my dad’s anger when he’d been with us, he’d still provided our family with a feeling of security and completeness. Christmas morning had been special, with Dad sitting with us by the tree, handing out gifts. Now, the feelings of closeness and family were gone.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t ever thought about the true meaning of Christmas. But this Christmas, with the prospect of a painful and disappointing holiday ahead, I found myself turning to God more than I ever had before to understand what Christmas is really about.

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