December 18, 2022 by Susan Lapinski · Personal Development

After Becoming a Widow, a (Fun, Funky) Tree of Her Own

Who wants a Christmas tree trimmed with Maine lobsters? An independent woman in New York City, that’s who. Here’s the whole red and green story.

Two years after I was widowed at age 57, I realized I was ready to have a Christmas tree again. But not just any tree. I wanted one that would tell a story—my story.

When my beautiful husband Michael was still here and we were raising our two little girls, the family Christmas tree was right out of a preschooler’s play corner. Jess and Susannah would bring home the yarn-haired angels, glittery dreidels, and Kwanzaa candles they’d made in their diverse urban classrooms, and soon those rollicking decorations would be part of our star-topped tree.

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Sundresses for Grown-Ups: 14 Styles to Keep You Cool

Who says you can’t wear sundresses any longer? Certainly not us! Here are the best, lightest frocks for summer.

Hand holding a gummy shaped like a marijuana leaf.

As a “cannabis concierge,” Nishi Whiteley guides patients to products that provide much-needed healing and calming. Here, some of her advice.

You can’t attend every ceremony as your friends’ kids get hitched—or as their parents pass away. Here, how to decide when to go, when to skip.

After 25 years of marriage and four children, Katrina Anne Willis left her husband for a woman. Was she crazy to hope they could still be family?

« Going the Distance? A 200-Mile Bike Tour Called Marriage

Ode to the Dying Department Store: What We’re Losing »

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