Losing someone you love is one of the saddest moments that you’ll ever experience. No one can predict death and it can possibly come the least you expected. Though preparing for such situations is easy to say, the emotional impact that it can do to you can sometimes lead to depression. It is very hard for the grieving family to let go and move on with their lives especially when celebrating important occasions like Christmas. They will surely be reminded of the moments that they have had with their departed loved ones.
How to Remember Your Departed Loved Ones at Christmas
One of the much-awaited seasons of the year is Christmas. This is the time where you can see the streets alive with all the decorations around such as Christmas lights, Christmas balls, Santa Claus, reindeers, Christmas trees, snowman, and more. But things will surely not be the same if you’ll spend it without the presence of a loved one. It can be quite hard to enjoy the holiday if you are still mourning the loss of someone you loved like a member of the family, friend, or partner. If you want to remember a loved one or you still would want to show respect to the departed at Christmas, then here are some ideas for you to do.
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Make a journal
Keeping a journal can be a special way for you to remember a lost loved one where you can write down the things you enjoy doing with the departed when he is still alive. You can keep doing this every year and you can even let other family members write entries just like what you do. If all family members are involved in the journal then you can transform your journal into a book that you can read back if you want to reminisce.
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Gift-giving at Christmas
Christmas is a season for gift-giving. But it doesn’t mean that you will only give gifts to people close to your heart because it can also be overwhelming if you will share your blessing to the less fortunate. A lot of people celebrate Christmas as an ordinary day just because they don’t have the money to buy food and gifts. So, to make this season memorable for them, you can adopt a family or give donations as a tribute to a departed loved one.
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Donating clothes
Christmas is a cold season for everyone. It can be a good idea if you will donate winter clothes to a local shelter so you can give warmth to other people. Not everyone can afford to buy such clothes making it a perfect Christmas gift that they can use for many years.
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Stockings and a letter
Hanging stockings has become a tradition during the Christmas season. But did you know that you can also hang the stockings of a departed loved one as a sign that you still remember them? But instead of filling these stockings with gifts, family members can write down letters for the departed.
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Prepare a favorite dish of your loved one
Preparing foods during the Christmas season is already a part of the celebration. If you want to remember your loved one on holiday even if they are gone, then you can prepare one of their favorite dishes.
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Make an ornament
Decorations are all around during Christmas. However, instead of buying Christmas decorations you can create your own ornament for a departed loved one to show that you still remember them. There are lots of materials that you can use and you can easily find in malls or even in your garden.
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Join in a charity run or walk
Local groups usually organize charity walks or run on holidays. This can be an effective way to raise money that you can donate to needy people. You can choose a charity that you loved one support and join their programs.
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Make a memorial wreath
If you love arts and crafts then creating a memorial wreath to remember your departed loved one at Christmas is a good idea. You can make use of things owned by your loved one to design the wreath instead of traditional funeral flowers. This can be a simple way for you to pay tribute to your loved one.
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Memory chain for your loved one
It can be very exciting for the whole family especially for the kids to start decorating the Christmas tree. If you want your loved one to be part of this important occasion then you can make a memory chain.
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Donate in honor of your departed loved one
The smile that you can give to the needy people when you give them gifts on Christmas is priceless. This simple gesture can make this occasion memorable for them. In fact, they can even remember you every year when Christmas is just around the corner.
Losing someone you love has an effect on how you celebrate holidays. However, it doesn’t mean that you will have to mourn for the rest of your life because there are still other reasons for you to continue and move on. For sure, your loved one doesn’t want to see you in deep sorrow so you also have to help yourself overcome your lost. Celebrating Christmas can be the same by remembering the departed. Besides, there are lots of ways on how you can still show your love and reminisce about the memories that you have had with your loved one.