Soldier Karyn Obey, Back From Afghanistan, Surprises 8-Year-Old Son At Staten Island School (VIDEO)

WATCH: Soldier Mom Surprises Son At Staten Island School

In a special Christmas edition of "This Week In Awwwww" watch as a third-grader at Staten Island's PS 54 gets the greatest gift of all: a surprise homecoming from his mother, a soldier just returned from her third tour in Afghanistan:

"I just wanted to give him a little something special for Christmas. He knew I was coming home. He didn't know when," Chief Warrant Officer 2 Karyn Obey told The Staten Island Advance of surprising her 8-year-old son, Christopher Harris, from whom she'd been separated for six months.

And explaining why the school orchestrated the reunion in front of Christopher's classmates, Assistant Principal Elizabeth Hession said, "We wanted to make it more real. It's something that's happening in our community."

In fact, it's something that's happening in communities across the country. So, for more life-affirming-Holiday-military-homecomings-that-will-make-you-cry-with-joy, check out the slideshow below, compiled by our very own HuffPost Parents. Happy Holidays, people!

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