Remembering Loved Ones at Christmas: 5 Ways to Honour them During the Holidays

Christmas is often dubbed the most wonderful time of the year, but the holidays can be especially painful for those who are no longer able to make new memories with those they love most.  

In this blog we share some ideas for remembering deceased loved ones at Christmas and coping with their absence.  

Remembering Loved Ones at Christmas: 5 Ways to Honour them During the Holidays  

 The festive season can be difficult to endure with the absence of a beloved friend or relative – especially if they adored this time of year.  

But there are many ways to keep their memory alive and pay tribute to them by continuing their favourite Christmas traditions or starting new ones in their honour.  

1. Talk about the one you’ve lost and happy holiday memories with your other friends or relatives 

Taking the time to reminisce about your beloved friend, relative or spouse and why they were so special can be an activity you can do with your family or a group of friends. 

You can even look at old photos together and talk about the past, or write a speech and toast to their memory. 

And while sadness is likely to surface, you can also try to embrace the good memories – especially those from the past Christmases. 

2. Keep up their favourite holiday traditions, such as volunteering, attending church on Christmas Eve, carolling, watching festive movies, or enjoying their favourite holiday meal 

Did they adore Home Alone, Love Actually or Miracle on 34^th Street and watched it every year on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day? If so, try to gather a few people together at that time to watch the film together and keep the tradition going.  

If your loved one enjoyed giving back during the holidays by volunteering at a soup kitchen, wrapping gifts or assisting with some other charity, then supporting the same cause is a meaningful way to honour them.  

For some people, attending church on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning is an incredibly important tradition, so this is one which may be worthwhile continuing.  

3. Light a candle in their honour 

Lighting a candle is a way to acknowledge the empty space at your Christmas events and ensure your loved one is never far from your thoughts.  

4. Play their favourite Christmas music  

Music has a magical ability to take us back to a time and place and if your deceased loved played a Christmas song on repeat, or at least every year, then listening to it or singing it can be a lovely way to remember them. 

5. Create of buy a custom Christmas decoration, such as an ornament or wreath 

Christmas decorations, like tree ornaments and wreaths, can act as a physical reminder of your loved one. There are many options for personalisation of Christmas ornaments, such as adding names, quotes or messages of condolence.  

Alternatively, you could hand-craft something special, like an angel for the top of your tree, to have their memory close for the holidays. 

If your family hung stockings on the mantel, you could also make a new one for your loved one, or continue to hang the one they’ve always had.  

Coping with Grief at Christmas 

Holiday cheer can be incredibly hard to find for someone who is grieving their loved one, but there is always someone who is able to talk.  

We share the contact details for numerous local loss and grief support networks at the bottom of this blog here. 

Also, one of the most important things to remember is that everyone copes differently and you should always be kind to yourself and look after yourself.