A Tradition of Sharing Light, Love, and Remembrance: The SUDC Ornament Exchange

Two moms, Sara Nesheiwat, mother of Zaid (12/8/2013–5/5/2016), and Brittney Patterson Sowers, mother of Brooklyn (9/18/2014–3/24/2016) have lovingly organized an SUDC ornament exchange annually for the past six years. They created this tradition to honor their children and offer other grieving families a gentle source of comfort, connection, and remembrance during the holiday season—one of the most tender times of the year for those coping with loss. Here, Sara and Brittney share their experience in organizing the exchange and the impact it has on families each year. 

This is our 6th year organizing the SUDC Family Ornament Exchange together. Each year, we invite SUDC families from around the world to join us in a non-denominational ornament exchange during the holiday season to honor their child. We collect information about each child to share with another family, who then sends an ornament they think that child would have loved to their family. We do this every year because we know this time of year is difficult for many bereaved families, regardless of where they are on their grief journey.

We want to include our child in our holiday traditions, and we want to know that others are thinking about them, too. This ornament exchange allows participants to receive the most thoughtful and touching gifts for their child from a family who truly understands and provide that same comfort and support to another family in return.

Every year, our participants say these ornaments rank among their most memorable and treasured keepsakes.