The holidays are a time to gather with loved ones to celebrate the season and to partake in beloved traditions. Many people cherish this special time and look forward to it all year long.

However, it can feel alienating to be surrounded with cheer and celebration when feeling the exact opposite on the inside.

How can one endure the holidays when experiencing grief?

One way to deal with grief during the holidays is to give yourself permission to not celebrate or be festive if you just are not feeling up to it. Being surrounded by decorations and festivities at every turn can feel a bit like pressure to partake in a celebration of some kind, and it’s often the last thing a grieving person wants to do.

Those who are grieving should feel free to spend the holidays in non-traditional ways that are most comfortable for them, festive or not.

Another way that grieving people can find comfort and solace during the holiday season is to incorporate old traditions into new ways to celebrate.

If you’re grieving the loss of someone special, one way to celebrate their memory would be to bake their favorite dessert to bring to a gathering.

This would be a way to share an essential part of a loved one’s personality with new friends, to honor their memory with old friends, and to celebrate the season with a festive treat: I am choosing to celebrate the holiday season without my grandmother for the first time this year by making her delicious pecan pie.

Another way to help those experiencing grief during the holidays is to reach out to others, and to understand that you’re not alone.

In our community there are several ways to meet in person or online with others going through similar circumstances. For example, the Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County is a non-profit hospice provider that offers grief and bereavement resources free of charge for all members of our community. In addition to specialized workshops and grief support groups, they also offer one-on-one bereavement support. To learn more, reach out to VHOCC at vhocc.org.

Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel is honored to serve our communities in Clallam, Jefferson and surrounding counties. For more information, call them at 360-683-5242. You can visit their website at sequimvalleychapel.com.