How to Honor a Loved One During the Holiday Season

At Spring Grove, we’ve been helping our neighbors in the Hamilton County area navigate the difficult emotions associated with losing a loved one for more than a century.

Over and over again, we’ve witnessed firsthand just how heartbreaking and devastating the aftermath of losing a loved one can be — and we also understand that grief can come and go in waves.

Grief can be more challenging during certain times of the year, especially around the holidays when it becomes more apparent that our loved ones are missing from our annual traditions and festivities.

As we embark upon this upcoming holiday season, we hope you know that our team of caring professionals is here for your family, whether you lost a loved one five years ago or five months ago.

As an additional resource, we are sharing these tips to help your family honor the life of your loved one during this time of year.

It’s OK to Not to Be OK

Before we get too far into this blog, we want to make sure you know that it’s OK to feel more than one emotion at once. This means it’s OK to smile and enjoy the festivities — but that you can also feel sad as you mourn the loss of a loved one. As humans, we have the emotional capability of feeling competing emotions at the same time. When it comes to your emotions, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to navigate the grieving process.

Create a Special Tribute

When it comes to honoring a beloved family member or friend through a personalized tribute, the options are endless. Whether you make a special ornament to place on your Christmas tree each year or play his or her favorite holiday song, it’s all about choosing what brings you comfort. Instead of focusing on the empty seat at the table, you might be able to smile instead.

Host an Annual Activity in Their Honor

Whether your loved one enjoyed a specific type of casserole or checking out the holiday lights at the local zoo, you can incorporate a specific activity into your holiday traditions. This can be as lighthearted or as serious as you’d like. Each family is different, and so there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Share Fond Memories Together

One aspect that many people encounter during the grieving process is the fear that their loved one will be forgotten and that their memory won’t live on. If this is the case for you or your family, you might consider having everyone share an important lesson they learned from your loved one — or perhaps a treasured memory. You might also write down all of these anecdotes and share them with the group at a later time.

At Spring Grove, we consider it to be an honor and a privilege to assist families following the loss of a loved one. If you are struggling during this holiday season and need our help, don’t hesit_ate t_o con_tact us_. We’ll help connect you with the resources you need. You can also view the g_rief resources_ _o_n our website.