Tag: christmas

Surviving Christmas and the December holiday season after suicide loss presents unique challenges as festivities, family gatherings, and cultural expectations of joy clash with raw grief. The holidays may have been your loved one’s favorite time of year, or perhaps they died during this season, making celebrations feel impossible. Managing holiday traditions (continuing, modifying, or creating new ones), handling well-meaning but painful “Merry Christmas” greetings, navigating family gatherings, and coping with your loved one’s empty chair at holiday meals all require careful planning and abundant self-compassion during this emotionally charged time.