The first year after my Mom died (last year) was brutal. Sadness would strike or be triggered when i wasn’t expecting it. I found the time leading up to Christmas (more than Christmas Day itself) to be especially bad. Even though this is heading into the 2nd Christmas without my Mom, I’ve been missing her like crazy. I could never have anticipated how much and deeply I’d feel her loss. I guess to feel a loss this deeply means that we both had exceptional relationships with our moms and that’s something to be thankful for.