12/05/2025
I decorated this Christmas tree in purple and silver because my sister died three weeks ago and her six-year-old daughter asked if Mommy would have a tree in heaven.
Cancer took her at 38. Left me with two kids who cry every night asking why their mom isn't coming home. I found her Pinterest last week - seventeen pins of purple Christmas trees with notes saying "someday" and "when I can afford it." She was a single mom making $23,000 a year buying Christmas from clearance bins, dreaming about a tree she'd never have.
I maxed out my last credit card at dollar stores. Purple ornaments, silver ribbon, lights. Made decorations from clothespins and hot glue because I ran out of money halfway through. Finished it at 4 AM and just sat on the floor sobbing because she died wanting something this simple.
Her daughter saw it yesterday morning and screamed "MOMMY'S TREE!" Stood there crying saying "She can see it, right? In heaven she can see we made her tree?" I said yes even though I don't know what I believe anymore.
That little girl slept under this tree last night. Brought her blanket down and said she wanted to be close to Mommy's colors. I found her at 3 AM curled up in purple light asking the tree to tell her mom she misses her.
I posted the photo and got messages from people asking if I'd make them memorial trees. Set up a Tedooo shop because what else do I do at 2 AM when I can't stop my niece from crying for her dead mother? Sold nine trees this week to people decorating for ghosts. Used every penny for my sister's kids' Christmas presents - things she'd saved in her cart she'd never get to buy.
My sister died broke with a Pinterest full of dreams that cost $200. Her daughter is sleeping under those dreams right now asking a Christmas tree to carry messages to heaven. And I'm making purple ornaments for strangers' grief because it's the only thing that makes me feel like her death mattered.
Download Tedooo if you need to. Or don't. I don't care about the app. I care that my niece smiled for thirty seconds yesterday before remembering her mother is dead.