Four Tips to Cope with Grief During the Holidays
Posted by: Erin Ward in Grief Articles | July 6, 2021
For families who are coping with the loss of a loved one, the holiday season doesn’t seem so cheerful. Along with grieving, you’re also juggling buying presents, hosting guests, and other sources of stress the holidays bring.
However, there are healthy ways to cope with grief during the holidays. By following these tips, you can find ways to grieve and honor your loved one this holiday season.
1. Allow Yourself Time to Grieve
No matter how much time has passed since the death of a loved one, the holidays have a way of bringing up memories. To process your emotions, you need to give yourself time to understand why you’re feeling the way you are. By knowing your triggers, you can better navigate your grief during the holidays. If you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Talk to a trusted loved one or professional grief counselor.
2. It’s Okay to Still Celebrate the Holidays
Don’t feel guilty for wanting to celebrate the holidays; your loved one would want you to be happy. Remember, everyone grieves in their own way. Even if a family member doesn’t want to celebrate, that doesn’t mean you can’t. You also don’t have to do all the holiday activities you usually do. If certain activities are triggers for you, it’s okay to step away from them and participate in other activities instead. Or you can create a new tradition. It’s all about finding the right balance for you and your needs.
3. Honor Your Loved One’s Memory
There are many ways you can celebrate the holiday season while still honoring your loved one’s memory. Some meaningful ideas are to display a memorial ornament on your tree, donate to a local charity in your loved one’s name, and bake their favorite holiday treat. For more ideas, check out this blog post about how to honor a loved one’s memory during the holidays.
4. Help Children Finds Ways to Cope with Grief
If there are children in your family coping with grief, help them find healthy ways to cope. One simple way to be there for them is to listen to them. If they want to talk about their loved one or their grief, listen to what they have to say. Then, you can help them find an activity for honoring their loved one’s memory, such as making a memorial craft or looking at old photos.
How do you cope with grief during the holidays? Share your ideas with us in the comments!
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