7 Thoughtful Ways To Comfort And Help A Loved One Grieving During The Holidays

When someone is going through grief, make sure that you allow them to navigate the experience in their own time. Going through the different stages of grief is not a straight line. In fact, it can feel like you’re moving upward, then a sudden nosedive.

If you know someone who recently lost a loved one, then as a friend, you probably would want to make them feel better during the holiday season and help them get into a more festive mood. It can be tricky because you wouldn’t want to step over any lines, which is why we have come up with a list for you.

Send a thoughtful holiday card

One of the simplest ways you can comfort someone grieving is to send a thoughtful holiday card. You can send a holiday greeting or message, but the true message sent by doing this is that you are there for them when they need you.

Send sympathy gifts

Another way of letting them know that you are there should they need you is sympathy presents. There are a lot of options online, and it would be difficult not to find one that best suits them. A good tip would be to customize your gifts, so it’s much more personal.

Listen without judgment

If there’s one thing you should always remember when interacting with someone who is grieving is that you should not rush them. To do this, you need to be able to listen to them without judgment and without having to make everything about you. If they need someone to vent about their sadness during the holiday season, try to listen and tell them you’re there for them.

Support whatever they choose to do during the holidays

Listening without judgment is the same as supporting whatever they choose to do during the holidays. This also means that you should be prepared for plans to change a lot. They are entitled to change their minds, and you have to respect that.

Access online resources

Aside from sympathy gifts, you can also access useful online resources to help them cope. If listening to them without judgment and supporting whatever they choose to do during the holidays isn’t enough, they may want to join several online communities discussing topics such as loss and grief.

Avoid additional stress

This may sound a little too simple and a little too general but this holds true for everyone who is grieving. The little things will go a long way. Since we cannot predict the mood of someone experiencing grief, make sure to be there for them should they need a helping hand to avoid the holiday stress.

Make sure that they don’t isolate themselves

It is crucial to point certain things out if you know it would not be for the best. Of course, taking reflective time for yourself is important, but they should also allow themselves to receive support from family and friends.

Listening to them, sending them sympathy gifts, and looking after them are some of the best ways you can ensure that they also feel comforted during the holiday season. These would help remind them that there’s still a lot they should live for.