Woman starts a beautiful Christmas tradition for her best friend's children after they lose their dad

Losing a parent at a young age can leave children with only cherished memories and bittersweet moments to hold onto. For two kids who lost their dad, healing came in an unexpected form—through the thoughtful actions of their mother’s best friend. Till Jones, a single mom who shares her journey on Instagram as @tillyjones_, was moved when she and her children discovered carefully planned Christmas presents waiting outside their door just days before the holiday. Among the gifts was a letter, seemingly from their dad, with a touching twist.

The video showed the family’s unique tradition of celebrating Christmas. Jones’s best friend decided to start the customary practice following the passing of Oliver and Paisley’s dad. She wrote an emotional letter impersonating the kids’ late father, delivering this year’s Christmas gift straight from heaven with the help of Santa Claus. The single mom was elated to see the effort put in by her children’s aunt for them. “The way their faces light up is everything,” the mother wrote. As the family of three opened their home’s door, Oliver and Paisley could no longer hide their excitement after stumbling upon the gift with a scroll left on their doorstep.

“What is that?” Jones asked her sweet-looking children, aged 4 and 2. With a smile on his face, Oliver responded, “I think Santa came.” Following this, their mom started reading out the letter delivered by Santa. “I have a little message from Daddy up in heaven just for the two of you,” she said.

The letter, originally written by Jones’ friend, read, “I have been watching you both grow up into a big boy and girl this year.” It claimed that the late parent, spending his time in heaven, missed both of his children. “I can't believe how big [our] baby Pea has gotten. Paisley is already two,” it said further, emphasizing the father’s love for his daughter.

“It is something I did not get to tell you enough before I went to heaven. I miss you all so much. I can't wait to watch you start school next year. I'll be right there next to Mommy the whole time. I hope you love your teddy bears,” the purported letter from their late dad added, claiming he cuddled the soft toys and filled them with magic angel dazzle. The heartfelt video ended with the children playing with the huggable bears. The innocent souls truly believed it was a gesture from their father, overseeing them from heaven.

The touching video capturing this special family tradition amid their loss resonated deeply online, garnering nearly 990k views and countless heartfelt comments. Among them, @mommy.realist lauded, “This is the best friend in the whole world.” “A special place in heaven awaits her. God bless her,” @_johnnycarpenter added.

“I love them so much it hurts my heart. An indescribable bond. They’ll never know, but it won’t change a thing,” @chloemaymcdonald remarked. "This tore me up. What an incredible thing to do for these two children. I wish all children who had lost a parent could have this experience." said @fla65beachlady.

You can follow Till Jones (@tillyjones_) on Instagram for more wholesome and parenting content.