Grieving During the Holidays – Effective Tips to Deal With the Loss of a Loved One

Losing your loved one is a difficult and deep challenge, but the holidays usually magnify your feelings of mourning and loss. While holidays like Christmas can be very painful reminders that a special person is absent, they can be very comforting times where you focus on the positive memories they left behind. Lietz--Fraze Funeral Home & Crematory offers the following tips for those who are unfortunately mourning their loved ones during the holidays.

Give Yourself Time

Grieving usually occurs in specific stages and takes quite some time to overcome, which is perfectly normal. When it comes to what you should do during the holidays, in terms of events or traditions, only choose what you feel is right. Do not feel like you are obligated to take part in any activity that you feel is not doable. You are quite vulnerable at the moment, so the major thing you should be focused on is getting through Christmas or that holiday season in a positive, healthy way.

Talk To Your Friends And Family

After being bereaved, you may feel as if you are alone in the world. The best way to deal with loss is to talk with your loved ones and share your emotions. This support is very important to helping you come to terms with the loss and eventually overcome the grief. Be honest and let your friends and family know which activities you would like to do this Christmas to honour your loved one.

Focus On Your Kids

Most holidays like Christmas usually place more attention on kids, and it usually helps to emphasise their needs. Thus, you must acknowledge that how you choose to get through the holidays can affect the kids in your family. So, in order to keep things normal for your kids, it is important that you try participating in the main family gatherings or rituals that the kids love and then excuse yourself from the group once you feel that you have reached your limit.

Scale Back

When the thought of doing many different holiday activities is overwhelming, inappropriate or painful, scaling back can help. For instance, if you are recently bereaved you can limit the incoming Christmas holiday parties to just a small gathering with your closest family members and friends. It could also involve using e-greetings rather than the time-consuming activity of preparing greeting cards. Do whatever you feel is most comfortable and safe by being gentle with yourself and allowing enough time to heal.

LietzFraze Funeral Home & Crematory is available all through the holidays to help you with giving your loved one a proper send-off and also give you the tools and support to help you through the grieving process. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.