Understandably, Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is probably ‘hitting different’ (as the kids say) this year. November has arrived and the holiday season is upon us. We are expected to be in good spirits, laugh and enjoy the company of others, decorate, and make enough food for an army at countless family gatherings. But this year, perhaps all of that seems unattainable. Maybe this year the ‘sound of laughter filling in the air’ doesn’t feel as genuine as it did last year.
The holidays after the loss of a loved one feel empty, lonely, and sad. We may choose to lessen our holiday celebrations, not decorate much, or at all, or we may choose to “skip” the holidays altogether. When my step-mother died at the beginning of December several years ago, I went out to spend time with my dad and her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. She had been sick for a few weeks before she passed and they had not prepared for Christmas. My aunt and I put up a tree and placed presents underneath for the children while my dad and step-sister grieved. They were fresh in their grief and definitely not in the holiday spirit, and no one expected them to be.
Our workshop this month is entitled “Stories of the Season.” We will share a meal together and learn about ways to cope through the holiday season. We can discuss how to tackle traditions, family expectations and how to acknowledge the “elephant in the room.”
Wishing you a kind and gentle holiday season,
