Grief During the Holidays: 5 Ways Families Can Make the Season Easier by Cara Allen

If your family has experienced the death of someone you love, the holidays can be an especially difficult time. Here are five simple suggestions to make his holiday season a bit easier.

• There is no “right way” to celebrate a holiday. Allowing everyone in the family to feel whatever they are feeling, whenever they are feeling it, is the best holiday gift you can give each other.

• Keep the old favorites, but also make some new traditions. Lighting a candle, setting a place at the table or sharing memories out loud can honor the person who has died.

• Say “no” when you need to. Saying no to invitations, hosting or other things you may typically feel pressure to do can free up some much-needed emotional energy, allowing you to enjoy the things you really do want to do.

• Focus on gratitude. Balancing grief with gratitude can ease the stress of the season.

• Create purpose. Helping others can be a great way to cope with grief.

Experience Camps are free, one-week camps for children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. To learn more or to give the gift of camp to a grieving child, visit Experience.Camp.