I want to make it magical for her. I want to hang twinkling lights. Because the lights will do us good, too. Playing “movie theater” in our tiny living room,  the lights will hang unevenly from the tippy top of the wall. The highest point I could reach with our step stool. We’ll eat microwave popcorn. We’ll each get our own bowl.

I’ll surprise her with this white birch twig tree I saw at Target. It’s small and wintery. I’ve always loved twigs. We’ll hang glittery snowflakes and action figures wrapped in yarn off its branches. She loves tying up action figures with yarn. That’s perfectly normal, right?

I’ll hang her school art projects from the all-purpose wreath we have on the door. It changes with every season. Eventually. We’ll dress up our Halloween witch outside with a Santa hat. Because witches are cool all year round. I hope the downstairs neighbors feel the same way.

I want to make these darker days magical for her. Shorter hours of sunlight but longer days of work. Emotions high and stress higher. I want to make it lighter for her. Different. Because magic is everywhere when you’re a kid. And I could really use some magic, too.

Because she deserves the best we can do. Plus a little more. And that will be just enough for her.