The loss of a loved one can feel especially poignant around holidays, birthdays, anniversaries or other special times.
Holidays like Mothers’ Day or Fathers’ Day can be difficult for those who have lost a parent or a child. For grievers who have lost a parent, seeing others celebrating their parents can be painful. For those who have lost a child, Mothers’ or Fathers’ may be an especially painful reminder of their loss.
The holiday excitement and demands that come along toward the end of the year can be an exceptionally overwhelming time of the year for those who are grieving. Holidays such as Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanza and New Years are filled with traditions and memories. They are the days typically set aside to celebrate with family and friends around gift giving and food. No matter how and when these actual days are commemorated; our culture certainly puts a great amount of emphasize on them. Stores are filled with holiday music, decorations and enticements for the perfect gift to have on your shopping list. So how do you cope during this season of merriment when you have experienced the death of a loved one?
Some suggestions that can be useful include:
- Plan ahead-anticipate on how you might want to spend the day and plan accordingly
- Consider doing something different than how you have usually celebrated the holidays. Perhaps going out to eat will feel easier than preparing a large meal at home.
- Give yourself the option to change plans at the last minute if necessary. Grief is such an unpredictable experience, even if you make a decision for how you want to spend the holiday, you may decide differently when the actual day arrives.
- Try to shift your perspective to be able to deal with your loved one’s absence. Perhaps your focus could be on the “gifts” he or she left behind. Healing may be in the form of gratitude for these unique “presents.” Only you know what they are and how they can help you heal.