Holidays Without My Sweet Girl, First Christmas without my cat Options

[Precious26]

Coming home tonight from my boyfriend's family's dinner, I knew my sweet cat of 20 years wouldn't be here to make Christmas eve complete the way I have always remembered. It was very hard looking at our porch where she always was. I just wanted to go outside and grab her, but it broke my heart she wasn't there.
It's been a month now since I had to put her down for kidney failure and it still hurts. I still miss her terribly, despite having a new kitten in the house. I wasn't ready for a new kitten, and still am not some days, but my mom was hurting just as much from the loss of our old cat, so she needed a new friend. It has helped some, but this is the first Christmas I will remember without my sweet girl.
I am not sure how to deal with this situation this holiday. I've lost family members and have missed them at Christmastime, but this is different. She was always there to help me through missing those family members, but now I don't have anything to help me through missing her this holiday.
How do we cope with the loss of our furry friends and companions through holidays? She should be going to sleep with me tonight, but instead I'll be going alone. I am just not sure how to deal with these feelings. If anyone has any advice, it would be much appreciated.
Merry Christmas.

[Gizy's Mom]

Dear Precious26,

Merry Christmas to you too.
I am so sorry about your loss. I know exactly how you feel because I just lost my baby puppy 16 days ago... I didn't think I would be able to survive and still some days I don't know how I made it that long without him.
He was my sweet little boy, my only lovely child... An hour doesn't go by without me breaking into tears... I am devastated and heartbroken.
I found that reading a lot of posts from the people that share the same kind of grief helps to ease the pain. Many of those people give me hope that it will get easier with time.
Last night I went to church for the Christmas mass and prayed God to accept my baby boy Gizy, take care of him, heal his wounds and help him be happy in heaven...
I live with the thought that we will meet again, don't know when but that day will come. And then he will run to me and I will pick him up and kiss his cold wet nose, his eyes, his ears. I will hold him so tight and never let him go...
but for now I find comfort in talking to his pictures, kissing his collar, sleeping with his "blanky".
I gave him a Christmas card and a teddy bear for Christmas and spent half an hour reading the card through tears.
I think the thought of his spirit being here with me helps me survive. I also read somewhere that his spirit can see me and since he loves me he wants to see me happy so I try to hide my tears.
I miss my boy terribly. I love him with all my heart.
I hope your pain will ease and you find strength to remember only good happy moments of your life with your beloved kitty.


Love,

Gizy's Mom