For many bereaved families and friends, this time of year is particularly tough. Aside from grief itself, there are many feelings of guilt associated with celebrating Christmas and new year.

In our experience there is no right or wrong way to behave. Grief is a journey and it’s different for everyone. Amongst the traditional ways families mark the festive milestones, there’s a rise in activities to remember loved ones. These include:

• Making your own Christmas decorations from loved one’s favourite clothing – as seen on Channel Four’s “Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas”
• Running races in a loved one’s memory – Moonwalks, Marathons, 5Ks, Parkruns are all seeing a notable rise in applications
• Donating time to charities as well as other resources, from foodbank rotas, hospice visits to Sleep-In-The-Park events
• Hosting a lonely OAP for Sunday lunch – see the “Bisto Together Project” or similar local initiatives

Sharing memories goes a long way to helping those cope with loss at Christmas. If you’re affected by loss, join us in the new year (11 January 2019) as we host the first session of our Acorns programme – designed specifically for anyone facing bereavement no matter how old or young you are, how recent or historic your loss – all are welcome. Contact 0131 447 4848 for details.

http://www.bistotogetherproject.com/
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/kirsties-handmade-christmas/episode-guide
https://walkthewalk.org/
https://www.sleepinthepark.co.uk/
http://www.parkrun.org.uk/