3 Ways to Honor a Loved One at Christmas

My dad’s favorite holiday was Christmas. I suppose I don’t have any concrete proof of that - he never specifically said that to me - but it was pretty obvious that he loved it a whole lot.  Christmas was one of the only holidays that me and my siblings would all be able to get together (we all live in different places and only two of us live in the same state). On top of that, my dad’s love language was absolutely gift giving. He didn’t have much growing up and he felt very proud and excited to be able to buy gifts for his family and give us the things he was never able to have himself. 

Obviously, because of how much he loved it, it makes his absence at Christmas especially hard. Yes, every year has gotten a little bit easier and I’ve made some new traditions which have helped fill the emptiness. But I still miss him and wish we could be together to open gifts, laugh and share in our joy. 

The first Christmas after he died my family did everything as if it were a normal year. We made brunch, opened gifts, and laughed with each other. We had a Christmas that my dad would have truly enjoyed. But it was still painful and hard, and his absence was felt in every gift, joke, and moment of gratitude. Those first holidays can be really difficult and if you are finding yourself grieving a loved one for the first time this holiday season, it may feel overwhelming and heavy. While nothing can bring your loved one back, there are some things you can do to remember them and preserve their memory. Below are three ideas I’ve come up with for how you can celebrate your first (or second, or twentieth!) Christmas without your loved one. 

Write Them A Greeting Grief Card 

Ok ok this one is a gimmie because you’re literally reading this on the Greeting Grief website, but truly this is a great option. We know that letter writing is a dependable therapeutic practice. Write a card to your loved one and embrace it as a new ritual or tradition. On Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, write a letter to your loved one and fill it with memories or feelings you’re having about their absence. Leave it on the mantle, hang it on your tree, or burn it in the fire. Heck, you could even leave it for Santa to take back to the North Pole! Do whatever feels right for you in the moment. 

Hang A Stocking For Them And Fill It With Memories

Hang a stocking for them and over the days or weeks leading up to Christmas, ask family members or friends to write memories or things they loved about the person on small pieces of paper and put them in the stocking; sort of like a reverse advent calendar. Then, Christmas morning, take all of the memories out and spend time reading them from the stocking and remembering your loved one.

Donate Money Or Time To A Non-Profit In Honor Of Your Loved One

Did your loved one enjoy spending time in the outdoors? Have a church they gave their time and energy to? Love to read? You could donate money in your loved one’s name to a local non profit, library, church or shelter. Or you could donate your time and pick up litter, read to children, serve food on Christmas to folks in need, and more, all in the name of your loved one. 

How will you honor your loved one at Christmastime?