How To Deal With The Loss Of Loved Ones During The Holidays

This article is from our print magazine issued October 1st 2022. To order a copy of the magazine please do so here.

The holidays can be a tough time for family members who are survived by a loved one who passed away. Everything reminds you of them, songs, smells, laughs and cries. You find yourself happy, but sad that you’re happy without them. You tend to silently hurt within so you don’t show everyone else you feel bad about celebrating the holidays without them here.

It’s okay to feel bad for being happy, but remember you are here because you still have a life to live. You have to enjoy your holidays the way your loved ones would want you to. They don’t want you to cry, or feel depressed, anytime, but really not during the holiday season, yet so many people get sad or depressed around the holidays.

How to deal with loss of a loved one during the holidays is hard, but here are ways to stay positive and get through the holidays.

Make the holidays about you. Don’t spend a lot of time dwelling on what someone else would’ve wanted or did. Enjoy the things you want to explore and see. Take a long overdue trip, go to a museum you’ve always wanted to visit, read a book you always wanted to read. Do something you want to do.

Try a new baking recipe. I know this isn’t for everyone, but you have to try something new to take your mind off the old. Not that previous holidays aren’t supposed to be remembered, however; you want to create new memories to cherish. Try baking something other family members will love.

Watch old Christmas family videos. When you need a moment to reminisce, pull out the old family videos and chill in your PJ’s watching things that make you laugh, smile, cry and remember.

Pull out your favorite holiday movies and watch them with a group of fiends or family. Laughing at your favorite holiday movies can allow you to feel good about the holidays.

Put together a family project that includes the lost loved one. A video to share, photo book, scrapbook, etc.

Finish something around the house you’ve always wanted to do. Paint a picture, wall, rearrange furniture, etc.

Find a nice holiday dress/suit and wear it out somewhere fancy

Start a holiday journal. Write in it each holiday season and tell yourself something you did positive to get through it. Then you can start to read it every holiday before you start to write in it again.

There are many ways to get through the holiday season. Some people resume counseling during the holidays, while others travel a lot. Depending on what you do to get you through it, believe that the holidays are meant to be happy, healthy and memorable. Take the good with the bad and make your holidays full of love and laughter. Grow, live, and change the world. Keep growing and inspiring.