Dear Pop-Pop (Pop-Pop Lollipop),

Merry Christmas, I miss you more than words can say. But my heart is content that you're in heaven with Uncle Brian, Theresa and your wife and that you're no longer in any pain. And I know that you're looking down and the family smiling and proud.

This Christmas will be very hard for the family, it's the first one without you. And it's hard to believe that, but I know in my heart that you will be there in spirit. This Christmas we will laugh, shed tears and remember the wonderful human that you were.

It's absolutely unreal to me that it has been almost five months since you've passed away, and not a day goes by that I don't think about you. It has been hard, I'm not going to lie because you could tell very easily if one of us was lying.

Everyone misses you, especially your children. There's a picture in the living room of my father from your apartment where he has a tear streaming down his face. The picture is very funny, but extremely special because it has to, in a way, deal with you.

I remember one Christmas, the family and I went down to New Jersey to visit you and say Merry Christmas. I remember giving you your gifts, and looking around the room and seeing the many pictures of all of us. (This is the part of the letter were I start crying). But, you loved all of us so much.

But something that makes me laugh is when you would tease my father, and he would tease you right back. You really loved my dad, and he really truly misses you.

I missed your phone calls this Christmas and telling you about how college is going and how I had a good Christmas. It'll be weird not hearing your voice or hearing your laugh.

I miss that, I truly do, but I will always remember the many phone calls besides Christmas, and before you hung up you would always say, "God bless you honey, and I love you."

There's a part of me that truly wishes that I got to say goodbye to you one last time. But as the saying goes, the ones we love truly never leave us, they're always there.

When I went to Philadelphia back in October or November I was walking around, and I saw a flock of pigeons. They flew towards me, and I started crying.

My friends looked at me confused, and I explained that before you passed away you were telling my dad, aunt and uncles about these damn pigeons that were annoying you.

That moment was kind of strange but special to me because, in a way, it was as if you were telling me that you were OK. And that put my heart at ease, knowing that you are no longer in pain.

This Christmas, I remembered the times I spent with you and the joy that you brought to the family and myself.

Merry Christmas, Pop-Pop.

I love you and miss you so much.