I always thought we were one of those Hallmark families—simple, glowing, a little too good to be true. My husband, Hayden, still hides love notes in my coffee mug, and our daughter, Mya, has a way of asking questions that make the world feel brand new. Every December, I try to bottle magic for her—snow globes made of cotton, twinkle lights on every plant, and traditions that make her whisper, “This is the best Christmas ever.”

But this year’s “best Christmas ever” nearly stopped my heart. In the middle of the night, I found Mya’s bed empty—and my car keys gone. Then, on the living room floor, a note: she’d left sandwiches and blankets in the abandoned house across the street so Santa’s reindeer could rest. I ran through the cold, breath catching, until I found her—bundled in scarves, proud and beaming. “Hi, Mommy,” she whispered. “I’m waiting for Santa.”

I carried her home, tucking her back into bed with her socks still on and her cheeks warm from the cold. By morning, a letter from “Santa” waited under the tree, thanking her for the blankets and sandwiches—especially the vegetable ones for Vixen. Mya gasped, overjoyed, and hugged the note like it was treasure. The house filled with laughter, cinnamon rolls, and the kind of wonder you can’t choreograph.

That morning, I realized I’d spent years trying to create magic when I was already living with it. Mya’s kindness—the way she believed in caring for others, even imaginary reindeer—had turned Christmas into something purer than perfect décor or presents. The best kind of magic, I finally understood, isn’t made by parents. It’s born from the hearts of children who still believe love can save the night.