Grieving During the Holidays

Grieving During the Holidays

The holidays are a magical time of year. It’s a time when family and loved ones gather together to celebrate their faith, exchange gifts, look forward to the year ahead and most importantly, spend time together. For many people, it’s their favorite time of year and something they always look forward to. However, if you have recently experienced a loss or this is your first holiday with a loved one, you might feel anything but joyous or hopeful.

Grieving during the holidays can be difficult. When everyone else is overly happy and excited, dealing with grief can leave you feeling like you’re being a Grinch. If you’re in this situation, it’s important to understand that there are many ways to cope with grief and make it through the holidays.

Here are 5 grief support tips for grieving through the holidays.

Create A Plan

The most important thing you can do when dealing with grief during the holidays, is creating a plan. For many people who are mourning, the worst part of the holidays is the anxiety they experience. By creating a plan, you can alleviate some of this anxiety and give yourself a roadmap to follow. If in year’s past you were responsible for things like decorating, preparing a meal, or shopping for gifts your plan can help you delegate certain tasks to others.

Don’t Suppress Your Feelings

One of the worst things you can do when grieving through the holidays is suppress how you are feeling. Those who are mourning often find themselves feeling fine one moment and then upset and overwhelmed with grief the next. Some people will try to hide how they are really feeling and put on a brave face for others. It's important to understand that the healthiest way to grieve and heal is by not holding things in. Don’t feel guilty about this either. Losing a loved one is difficult and the people around you will understand if you don’t feel like celebrating.

Create A Memory Stocking

Every year, families will put up stockings for their deceased loved ones. Instead of leaving the stocking empty this year, turn it into a memory stocking. Over the course of the holidays, have your loved one’s place letters or memories within the stocking. On Christmas day, your family can gather together and reminisce over all the memories shared in the stocking. Not only is this therapeutic, it lets you keep your loved one a part of your holiday traditions.

Volunteer and Help Others

Sometimes doing something nice for others is the best way to make yourself feel better. If you don’t feel like celebrating this year, consider helping others celebrate. Whether it’s donating your loved one’s old clothes to a homeless shelter or volunteering at a church dinner, there are many ways to get involved and help others this holiday season. Who knows, you might just stumble upon a new holiday tradition and even feel a little better.

Light A Memorial Candle 

Some families find lighting a memorial candle is the perfect way to pay tribute to their loved one. As a family, you can light a candle at the start of the holiday season to represent your loved one’s spirit. If you don’t feel like using a real candle, consider using a fake one or some sort of other decoration instead.
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