Coping with Grief During the Holidays

By: Matthew Funeral Home
Friday, December 1, 2017


Losing a close family member can be hard to accept. Grief and sorrow can be overwhelming after someone passes, and those feelings often creep up around the holidays. The holiday season for many people is about getting together with family, but that can be hard after the passing of a loved one. The first year of holidays are often the most difficult, but grief can be felt at any time. Coping with grief may require some effort, but it is important to find a method that best suits your family. The first step in coping with grief is accepting and acknowledging that the holidays are going to be different without your love one.

Traditions

When a loved one passes, most families do not think about the traditions that they had helped with. What will Christmas be without Grandma’s cookies? Who will carve the Thanksgiving turkey? How will we make sure the tree looks perfect for the photos? Traditions, eventually change. A family must decide what traditions they will continue, and which ones must alter. Maybe you won’t sing carols together. Maybe someone new will take over responsibility for that special dish, or even replace it. Your family as a whole should figure out how your traditions may change.
You may even want to create a new tradition in memory of them. Some families light candles, others lay a wreath or grave blanket at the cemetery. Beginning anew is a big part of the holidays, and life. New traditions can help us to accept loss and keep memories alive.

Location

After the loss of a beloved family member, you may want to (or need to) change the home that you gather with the family. It can be a big shake-up to a family’s holiday traditions to change the venue; but sometimes it can help everyone come to terms with the loss. 

Coming Together

These plans and changes shouldn’t come from one place. Instead, get together or communicate with other family members that you spend the holidays with. Everyone grieves and experiences sorrow in different ways. Open communication is a great way to start healing, and finding the best solutions to coping during the holidays.
For almost 50 years, Matthew Funeral Home has been serving the Staten Island community. We can help with almost every aspect of your loved one’s memorial service. Our family is here to serve yours, every step of the way.

Leave a comment
Name*:
Email:
Comment*:
Please enter the numbers and letters you see in the image. Note that the case of the letters entered matters.

Comments

Please wait

Previous Posts

Sensory Memory and Grief

Memories of lost loved ones can play a major part in our grief. If you see an old photo or an object that reminds you of a memory, you may be flooded with emotions. Sensory memories are those trigg...

Choosing the Right Funeral Home

When a loved one passes, or when pre-planning your funeral, it is important to choose a funeral home that you are comfortable with. Planning a funeral can seem daunting, especially when you are dea...

Should You Attend the Funeral of an Ex-Spouse?

When a loved one dies, it can seem obvious that you should attend the funeral. However, when it comes to your ex-spouse, it can get trickier. Divorces and separations can drastically affect the par...

Firefighter Funeral Services

When a firefighter passes away, there are often special practices associated with their funeral services. This is especially true if they died in the line of duty. Below, we will discuss the differ...

Survivor's Guilt & Coping with Grief

After a traumatic or sudden passing of a loved one, it is common for people to experience Survivor’s Guilt. Survivor’s Guilt is a type of grief that creates feelings of wrong-doing surrounding ...

Consoling Non-Religious Mourners

After the death of a loved one, it is common to say platitudes to the family like “they're in a better place” and “I’m praying for you.” But what if the family member of the loved one is non-religi...

Meditation and Working Through Grief

Meditation is a practice for fostering balance and serenity. More people turn to meditation as a way to find peace in a hectic work week, or to help them stay focused. Big tech companies like Googl...

Terminal Illnesses and Grief

When a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it can be hard to process your grief and be there for them. Often, family and friends can be an important support network for the sick individ...

Remembering Mom On Mother's Day

As Mother’s Day draws closer, it can be hard to avoid all the greeting card stands and gift displays in stores. After losing your mother, the upcoming holiday can feel bittersweet. Below, we will d...

Phobias and Funerals

Fear can be a powerful driving force in life, but it can also play a big part in dealing with death. Everyone fears something, and fear can often stop us from experiencing new and unique things. Wh...