Coping with death around the holidays
December 14th, 2011
If you have lost someone close to you during this past year, you may find yourself having difficulty getting into the “holiday spirit”. We hope this will help you find peace and comfort, and helps you cope this holiday season.
More than ever, you will probably find yourself missing your loved one during this time of year. Please remember that it is okay to allow yourself the emotions you are feeling. Allow yourself to cry, but then make sure to find time to do activities that make you comfortable, such as reading a book, meditating or exercising.
Finding ways to commemorate your loved one is an excellent way to help yourself through the holidays as well. You can do this in many ways, such as visiting places you did in the past with them, or talking about wonderful memories you had with others who were close to him or her.
Please accept help from others. Your friends and family may not know what to do or say, but they may help in other ways, such as assisting you with sending cards, cleaning your home or possibly even cooking Christmas dinner. It is important that you allow them to, as the extra stress from the holidays can become overwhelming when you are already grieving a loss. Also, it will help them cope as well, as helping you through the holidays will give them a sense of involvement in your life in a time when they are at a loss when it comes to being able to make things better for you.
And lastly, remember that it is okay to celebrate, even though you are grieving. Most likely, your loved one would want you to be enjoying yourself, focusing on the good and happy times you have spent in the past and will spend in the future.
We hope to have helped you make the season a bit easier for you. We wish you warmth and comfort this holiday season.
