This article has been syndicated from That Fangirling Filmmaker, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.
The holidays are usually hard. You have grandparents asking if you’re in a relationship and various aunts and uncles trying to set you up with their butcher’s cousin’s kid. Sometimes those holidays are even harder after you lose a loved one.
I remember my first holiday after I lost my mother. She has passed away at the beginning of December, so my dad, brother and I had to try and get through one of the jolliest holidays without becoming Grinches. Christmas that year was hard.
No one tells you what your first holiday without them is going to be like. More often than not there’s laughter that turns into tears as you share stories of years past, traditions that are hard to do and sometimes, the entire magic of the holiday is just gone.
Now, I realize people deal with things in their own ways, but I’ve come up with some things that can help you get through that first holiday.
Spend time with friends and family.
I realize that sometimes you just want to be alone, but you have others going through it with you, and during the holidays it’s especially hard. Sure, you’re bound to get those looks of sadness or pity, but those are kinda expected. The people in your life want nothing more than for you to be okay. Spend some time with them, and use it for coping and remembering the good times.
Don’t let go of your traditions.
This is one of the things I regret the most. Don’t lose those traditions you have. It’s tempting to just bypass them, but in the end you’ll be glad you kept them going because they are another of those memories for you to hold onto.
Read the full post here.