The holiday season can stir up sad memories for some of us. Maybe we remember when there were no gifts under the tree or a meal on the kitchen table. Or maybe there were family feuds that spoiled holiday gatherings, or as a kid, we divided time between being with either Mom or Dad. Financial stress can come with the holidays or maybe family members live too far apart to gather.
Or, it could be the first holiday season after the passing of someone you love. In our family, it will be the first time my wife and I have been without our moms. It will be a different Christmas without them to celebrate with us.
It’s OK to recognize sad feelings. There is no need to feel shame or to minimize and deny them. Yet there are some things we can do to alleviate the sadness.
Share your feelings with someone who will understand and be there for you. Remember that you don’t have to go to every holiday event or any, if you are not in the spirit. Write down why you are sad this time of the year. It allows you to process your feelings on paper. Pray and share your sorrow with God. Praying brings comfort and strength.
Another thing that helps is to express feelings of hope. Yes, deep within us we can find them. Keeping hope in our lives will get us through the season even when we don’t want to celebrate.
The hope of Christmas is the promise that God is with us in our fear, sadness, loss and troubles. Take time to reflect on the things that bring you hope. Stay in the moment and look for the people, things and experiences that bring a little light into your life.
It’s OK to feel down during the holidays. It’s what we feel, but it doesn’t need to take away the beauty of the season. Let us be encouraged to work through our emotions and embrace all the good that comes with Christmas. Hope can be found in the middle of despair, light in times of darkness, joy in troubled times. May the hope of God be ours this season.
