Coping at Christmas
/How to handle the holidays when you’re too sad to celebrate.
For some of us, there’s a thick blanket spread out over December.
It’s the kind that suffocates and darkens the twinkle of the season. We wish it wasn’t so, but it hangs heavy on so many of us - it’s impossible to ignore.
And this Christmas is bound to feel uniquely heavy for so many.
Do you know what I’m talking about?
Maybe you are a patient in pain wondering if you’re health will take a turn
Or, over this past year, you've lost someone you loved deeply - the empty chair at the table reminds you of all the happy traditions never to be the same again.
Maybe your relationship seems so broken beyond hope of repair, everything about this time of year reminds you of better days.
Perhaps you’re a mom with little ones that demand more than you have to give, and you are at the very end of your rope. This season drains and seems to mock you.
Or you've lost your job, and this month makes it particularly hard to feel joy.
And let’s be honest… every one of us has lost a sense of control and freedom, and the naivete of pre-pandemic days. This Christmas will likely have its challenges.
Whatever the circumstance, you find yourself facing the holidays with dread and the sting of loss. You’re not alone.
Author of the best-selling book, Life’s Great Dare, Christa Hesselink adapts her most-read blog post into a thoughtful and helpful workbook for those suffering the pain of loss during the holiday season.
