Dealing with Grief This Christmas
Living with the loss of a loved one is hard, and while grief never fully goes away, there will be times when emotions are much more heightened, and the sense of loss can feel greater. Christmas is one of those occasions and as the festivities begin, so too may your feelings of sadness and loss. Often the best way of handling it is to be prepared. As hard as it is, there are things you can try that will hopefully make Christmas seem that little bit more bearable. Here are our top 10 tips.
- Plan ahead and think about which festivities and Christmas rituals you feel comfortable participating in. You don’t have to do everything
- Light a candle in your loved one’s memory
- Visit their grave or the place where their ashes were scattered
- Have a family dinner and make their favourite recipe
- Write a letter to your loved one
- Visit their favourite beach or park
- Hang a special ornament on your Christmas tree in their memory
- Listen to their favourite music, or even their favourite Christmas music
- Look after yourself. Why not climb into a hot, relaxing bubble bath, or take some time to go for a walk and exercise?
- On Christmas Day itself, remember to take care of yourself. If things become a bit too much find somewhere quiet to take a breather. Give yourself permission to not be okay and to ask for help if you need it. Equally, allow yourself to have fun and smile.
It’s important to remember that we are all different and grieve in our own ways. Don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable – you are the one grieving and need time to do that. If you need support our counsellors are available to Waipuna Hospice patients and their families, Monday – Friday, excluding public holidays. Alternatively, you can free-call or text 1737 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 1737 is a free service for anyone who needs to talk to a counsellor.
