Grief During the Holidays: Gentle Ways to Honor Loss When the World Celebrates

The holidays have a way of turning up the volume on everything—joy, excitement, nostalgia… and yes, grief too. While others seem wrapped in twinkling lights and cheer, you may find yourself carrying a heavy heart that doesn’t match the season’s energy. You might move slower, longing for the noise to quiet down.

If you’ve experienced a recent loss or a major life change, approaching the holidays can feel like a mix of anticipation and reluctance. Grief often takes the shine and glimmer out of things—and that’s okay.

Grief Is a Season of Its Own

Grief is like the winter of our lives. It settles in quietly, covering much of our inner world with a heavy veil. You are not broken for not wanting to celebrate—you are simply needing to slow down and cocoon.

The hibernation of grief is part of a transformation process. Rest, reflection, and withdrawal are not signs of weakness; they are natural responses to loss.

Gentle Ways to Move Through the Holidays While Grieving

Here are a few compassionate ways to support yourself through the holiday season while honoring your grief.

Let the Holidays Look However They Need To

Some years, the holidays are filled with baking cookies, playing music, and attending gatherings. Other years, grief calls for quiet moments and space to honor your feelings—and the person you’re grieving.

Give yourself permission to shape the season in a way that feels gentle on your heart. There is no “right” way to do the holidays.

Create a Small Ritual of Remembrance

Your person still lives within you. Your relationship continues, even in their absence.

Simple rituals can help you feel connected:

• Write them a love letter

• Light a candle in their honor

• Hang an ornament that reminds you of them

• Make their favorite dessert, even if you’re the only one who eats it

These small acts of remembrance can soften the sharp edges of loss.

Say No Without Apology

Grief can be exhausting. If a gathering feels overwhelming or a tradition feels too heavy this year, it’s okay to decline.

Let go of expectations about how things should be and allow them to be what you need. You may pause traditions or create new ones that better support you. Choosing softness isn’t ruining the holidays—it’s caring for yourself.

Let Yourself Feel Grief in Waves

Memories may arrive unexpectedly—sometimes with tears, sometimes with comfort. Let them come. Let them go.

Grief moves like waves. Some are gentle and soothing; others feel overwhelming. Don’t restrict them. Allow yourself to feel, release, and rest.

Lean on People Who Understand

You don’t need to explain yourself to everyone. A few trusted people who truly “get it” can make all the difference.

Sometimes saying, “This time of year is hard for me,” opens the door to connection rather than pressure. Let yourself be vulnerable. You may be surprised by who shows up.

A Final Gentle Thought on Grief and the Holidays

Grief is love with nowhere to go, and the holidays are full of reminders of what that love once looked like. If this season feels tender, let it.

There is no right way to grieve and no deadline for feeling “normal” again.

Be soft with yourself.
Light returns slowly—but it does return.