She missed out on Halloween, she’ll miss out on Thanksgiving, and now three-year-old Ariya of South Dartmouth will miss out on the most magical part of the year, Christmas. After being diagnosed with leukemia this past July, a lot has changed for little Ariya, and keeping her safe is her family’s top priority.

There will be no trip to the mall to see Santa and take photos in a new holiday dress.
There will be no venturing out to any festival of lights with hot cocoa and candy canes.
No Christmas pageants, no gingerbread house workshops.

If you have kids, you know that three is the sweet spot, the year when kids are old enough to realize what is going on, but young enough to be excited by every inch of Christmas lights, every Christmas song, and anything that has to do with Jolly Saint Nick.

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Ariya’s family is hoping that they can bring some of that Christmas magic to her from the safety of her home, and make it a season to remember.

“She has to miss out on Thanksgiving, Christmas Dinner, a birthday in February, Easter, and everything. We couldn’t even bring her to the mall to take pictures with Santa because there were too many people. She could die,” said her grandmother, Donna DeMoranville.

“Her doctors said she has two and a half years of chemo and currently travels to Boston for treatment every ten days. Some weeks we’ll have to go twice a week," DeMoranville said. “If we can have a little parade just for her, she could stand outside to watch but just not be near anyone. That would be amazing.”

The DeMoranvilles say they own a flatbed truck and will decorate the whole thing themselves if they can just get a Santa to be on it for their girl.

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It's not just your neighbors decorating for the holidays anymore. Local zoos, theme parks and other big businesses are getting in the holiday light display game as well, and there are some amazing sites to be seen across Massachusetts and Rhode Island this season – some without even getting out of your car.

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