Holidays…a joyful gathering of friends and family together to celebrate. With the first fallen leaf of autumn, we begin to anticipate the holidays ahead. Our senses are acute and take in everything: the smell of turkey roasting and freshly baked pies; the holiday songs playing on the radio; the sound of laughter from our loved ones who have gathered together. No one wants to talk about the stressful blues that come with the holidays, yet we can all relate to it. Whether it be planning meals, figuring funding, managing time, it is all stressful. I have dealt with all these aspects, but this year has given me a heavy dose of holiday blues.
I lost my grandfather only a week ago and this joyous thanksgiving holiday will be a sad one. My grandfather has always been the backbone of our family, and the life of the party. He was our "Old Fart", and a great kidder. I am the mother of four young children who have sat in his lap watching the Thanksgiving parade on TV as many years as they can remember. This is the height of my stress. How do I ease their pain, and still bring them cheer during this holiday? How do I fill the Void that will evidently be there this holiday season. As a mom, I want to make sure they don't hurt, and help them cope, but I am also trying to cope with my own pain of this loss. Five times the stress!
Grief can overwhelm us with waves of memories, especially during the holidays. Grief will also magnify the stress that is already a part of the holiday season. There are some strategies to help you cope during the holidays and beyond. I have sat and thought of ways to help them get through this. What ways can I keep their minds busy and making sure they make the most of their holiday time. Though being around family at this time is a great way to cope with loss, I want to get my kids out and about to ease their thoughts. Create new traditions. If you try to keep your holiday season exactly the way it was before, it probably will make your feelings of loss worse.Try something different to help you and your family move on. Doing a little traveling can be a great way to get theirs and your mind off the heavy things around them at home. Adding a little trip, even just to somewhere in your hometown, can be a great way to keep them occupied and active. The Chamber of Commerce always has information available for upcoming events and activities going on in your hometown. One can try a trip to a neighboring town to look at decorations people have put up, or highlights that town has to offer. Just being together during this time can help you all to feel a sense of acceptance and peace during the holiday, and making this a yearly tradition will give them and yourself something to look forward to the coming years, instead of dreading the holiday without your loved one.
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