There was the vision I had for my son’s first Christmas and then there was the reality. In my head, my 1-year-old son would wake up on Christmas morning filled with excitement for this ...

I just sent my kids off ... is the fact that my first, fat, 60-page holiday shopping catalog from Target is already here, sitting out on the coffee table. Yes, it's Christmas in October now.

The start of December brings back memories of all the years I went above and beyond to celebrate Christmas as if it were the key to feeling like I truly belonged in America. It also reminds me of ...