Each time Staff Sergeant John York leaves for overseas deployment, it breaks his son’s heart.
So, the 30-year-old marine then came up with a brilliant plant to soften the blow: he used his 10 days of pre-deployment leave to celebrate all of his son’s favourite holidays in advance.
It will be his first deployment since becoming a dad.
Holidays are a big deal in their household. John’s wife Priscilla runs Holiday Traditions, a company which specialises in holiday goods for kids.
She is also a children’s book author; her latest story is entitled, “The Funny Easter Bunny”.
Their advanced holidays began on Mother’s day weekend. They kicked things off by celebrating an advanced Halloween!
John made sure to make it legit: he distributed candy around their neighbourhood so Bryson could go trick-or-treating.
It didn’t matter to Bryson that there were no other kids because he had his best buddy and his “Paw Patrol” costume.
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Then, it was time for Christmas! They even got Santa to break the rules just so Bryson could open presents under the tree on (their own version of) Christmas morning in their North Carolina home.
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More on the Yorks’ Holiday-filled week on the next page!
After Christmas, it was time for Bryson’s 4th birthday!
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Never mind that it was a few weeks early; he still had the time of his life with a cake and a brand new bike—which, of course, he test drove around their neighbourhood!
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But it wasn’t just Bryson who got an advanced holiday.
“When John came to me with his idea, it melted my heart,” Priscilla York, 33, told TODAY, adding that since the holidays came early for them, she wanted to give him a great Father’s day present.
So, she put together a video compilation of all their celebrations, which he loved so much that he watched it over and over.
“It’s something he’s going to be able to cherish forever,” said Priscilla.
“They have an incredible bond,” she adds. “If this happens when his dad leaves for just a few hours, I can only imagine how hard it’s going to be when he leaves for deployment.”
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Aside from their love for holidays, the father and son also share a family tradition, which has been passed down for generations.
It’s called “seek adventure”— a simple exercise of finding fun in everyday life.
Bryson’s favourite “adventure”? Watching his dad get a haircut at the barber shop.
“When I tell him I love him, he’ll say he loves me, but really loves his dad,” Priscilla continues. “They’ve got something truly special.”
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