For many of us, the holidays are a joyful time with family, friends, and other loved ones.
But if you’ve lost a loved one during the year, this time of year may very well be the opposite of joyful.
I hope this short article I first posted on my therapy website is helpful for those of you who are struggling this year.
Holidays without your loved one . . .
can be painful and lonely. Especially if it’s the first time the holiday has rolled around after your loss.
Sometimes it’s helpful to create a small ritual to help you remain connected to your loved one while still acknowledging your loss on this special day.
Get your closest friends together, the people you feel the safest with, and create a ritual to remember your loved one during a holiday. Or do the ritual by yourself. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Write a letter to your loved one expressing your feelings during the holiday. Put it in a box and gift-wrap it. Then, put it under the Christmas tree or on a table – wherever you used to place it when your loved one was alive – and keep it as long as you like. Or try these ideas with your ritual group: bury the box in a special place outside; burn the box and visualize releasing your feelings as the ashes float upward; have one of your friends open the box and read the letter to your ritual group.
- Ask your ritual group to gather and have each person recall favorite stories about your loved one. You might want to structure it by having them tell stories about their holiday memories of your loved one, how they met your loved one, or what your loved one would say or do that would make them laugh the hardest.