Happy Holidays?
Getting Through the Holidays After Losing a Loved One
Happy Holidays? That might be easier said than done, especially if there’s an empty chair at the table that a loved one used to fill. It’s hard to have a Merry Christmas when we feel anything but merry.
Though the Holidays will never be the same, there are some ways we can include our loved ones during this time.
1) Talk about them to someone who will really listen without judging or giving advice.
2. Set their place at the table, leave their chair empty.
3. Decorate their gravesite.
4. Hang a special stocking or ornament in their memory.
5. Reminisce, look at pictures or share memories with family and friends — or alone.
6. Light a candle in their memory and place it on the table or somewhere it can be easily seen.
7. Write a letter to your loved one.
8. Donate a toy or other item to someone in need.
9. Watch their favorite movie, listen to their favorite music, make their favorite food.
10. Talk to them and tell them the things you would normally talk to them about.
And remember, the anticipation of the day is almost always worse than the actual day itself. The Holidays will come to an end and God will walk with us through this most difficult time.
You will make it. I have. You will too!
Jackie Deems copyright 2021
