As the weather turns colder and the nights draw in, many of us begin to feel the weight of the upcoming holidays.
For those who are grieving, this season can bring a particularly sharp ache. The lights, the music, the family gatherings: all of it can remind us of an absence, of traditions we once shared with someone now gone. Even if you’re not in the UK, you may be reading this ahead of Thanksgiving, and that too can be a poignant reminder of a chair that’s now empty.
Watch the Live on Holiday Grief >
Dr. Erin Hope Thompson, Founder of The Loss Foundation, hosted a live video discussing the challenges of holiday grief, and introduced our Holiday Grief Workbook.
Watch the video here to gain insights into how you might manage your grief this holiday season.
The Unique Challenge of Holiday Grief
Holiday grief is a complex emotional space. It’s not just sadness – there’s anticipation, pressure, memories, and expectations. Many people feel they “should” be able to enjoy the season or “get on with it,” which only intensifies feelings of guilt or isolation when they can’t.
A few common patterns and challenges include:
🎁 Heightened expectations – Holidays often mean decorations, gifts, happy gatherings — but grief doesn’t pause for the calendar.
⏳ Anticipatory grief – Even before the season begins, many feel dread or anxiety about how they’ll cope.
💫 Unexpected triggers – Small things like a song, scent, or photo can suddenly bring a wave of emotion.
🌲 Negotiating traditions – You may question whether to keep family rituals, create new ones, or skip them altogether.
📱 Social pressure and comparison – Posts of joyful celebrations or well-meaning “Are you okay?” check-ins can feel overwhelming.
😴 Physical toll – Stress, poor sleep, and changes in appetite – grief affects the body as well as the mind.
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Product on sale
Holiday Grief WorkbookOriginal price was: £15.00.£10.00Current price is: £10.00.
Understanding Grief During the Holidays
Grief can feel particularly intense during the festive season. The expectations of joy and celebration can clash with feelings of sadness, loneliness, or longing for a loved one. It’s important to acknowledge these emotions and take steps to care for yourself during this time.
The Holiday Grief Workbook is a downloadable resource designed to provide guidance, comfort, and coping strategies tailored to the holiday season.
Supporting Yourself (and Others) During the Holidays
You don’t have to “survive” – you can care for your grief. Here are some gentle ways to manage:
🗓️ Plan ahead – Think through which events you want to attend, which you may skip, and when you’ll need space.
🚧 Set boundaries and expectations – Talk with family or friends about what you can realistically manage; it’s okay to say no.
🕯️ Include your loved one in small ways – Light a candle, share their favourite song, include a memory in your gathering.
🌟 Create new traditions or rituals – It might feel jarring, but small new routines can help you step into the season on your own terms.
💆♀️ Build in rest and self-care – Leave buffer time before or after social events to process or recharge.
🤝 Use support – don’t go it alone – Join a grief support group, talk with a counsellor, or reach out to someone who understands.
💛 Be kind to yourself – Some days will feel very hard. It’s okay to feel joy and sadness together.
Thanksgiving and Cross-Cultural Remembrance
For our U.S. readers, grieving during Thanksgiving brings its own challenges. It’s a time for gratitude and gathering – and for many, it’s also a time to feel the absence of someone who would’ve once been there to carve the turkey, say the grace, or join dinner conversation. You may find yourself caught between wanting to honour tradition and wanting to avoid pain. Both impulses are valid.
In this season, you might choose a moment of remembrance: offering a toast in their memory, leaving an empty seat, sharing a story about them before the meal begins. These gestures can be small anchors of connection in a sea of grief.
What’s Inside:
🎯 Grief at Christmas – Wellbeing plan, coping & crisis plan, 5-min daily journal
🗓️ Mindset & Finding Meaning – Plan your holiday, positive affirmations, gratitude
🤝 Connecting with Others – Social plan, boundary setting, talking about grief
💌 Celebrating Your Loved One – Honour traditions, ways to remember, write a letter to your loved one
🧘♀️ Self-Care & Stress – Stress journal, mindful moments, anxiety affirmations, daily self-care checklist
😴 Restful Nights – Holiday sleep goals, sleep tips, sleep diary, brain dump to declutter your mind
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Product on saleHoliday Grief WorkbookOriginal price was: £15.00.£10.00Current price is: £10.00.
BONUSES:
BONUS ONE 🎥 Supportive Holiday Videos by Dr Erin Hope Thompson MBE
✔️ Navigating the Holidays After Loss
An introduction to the pack, plus, Dr Erin talks about finding balance amidst the holiday chaos.
✔️ Finding Joy and Peace in the Holidays
Hear about how you might embrace moments of joy while holding space for your grief, discovering ways to balance sorrow with moments of hope.
✔️ Creating New Traditions After Loss
Explore how to adapt or create meaningful traditions that honour your loved one while helping you move forward in your grief journey.
Each video offers gentle, practical advice to guide you through this season with care and compassion.
BONUS TWO 🧘♀️ 8 audio meditations, including:
✔️ Track 1 – Making Space for Noticing: A gentle practice to pause and honour your emotions.
✔️ Track 2 – Noticing Fears in Grief & Bringing Compassion: Cultivate kindness while exploring fears.
✔️ Track 3 – Expanding Space for Feelings of Grief: Embrace grief with openness and acceptance.
✔️ Track 4 – Building Connection with Your Loved One: Strengthen bonds and foster remembrance.
✔️ Track 5 – Self-Compassion & Self-Care in Grief: Learn to nurture yourself during difficult times.
✔️ Track 6 – Gratitude Alongside Grief: Balance sorrow with moments of appreciation.
✔️ Track 7 – Visualisation for Future Healing: Envision growth and healing alongside grief.
✔️ Bonus Track – Grief Comes in Waves: Navigate the ebb and flow of grief with calmness.
This workbook is a gentle companion to help you find moments of healing and resilience while honouring your unique grief journey this holiday season.
💛 £15 | Includes 80+ pages, 3 videos, and a free meditation pack.
Helpful Resources
- Holiday Grief Workbook: A practical guide for navigating grief during the festive season. 📝
- Support Services: Explore our grief support groups and resources for those bereaved by cancer. 💬
- Books for Grief: Explore our online hub of books to support you in grief – ranging from novels to personal growth. 📚
The Jar Model: A Way to Understand Grief
Dr. Erin discusses the Jar Model (or Circle Model), a helpful metaphor for understanding how grief fits into our lives over time. In this model:
- The Jar represents your life, and the Ball inside represents your grief.
- Initially, the grief (the Ball) feels overwhelming, taking up most of the space in the Jar.
- Over time, the Jar grows as you build new experiences, relationships, and coping mechanisms, making the grief feel smaller in comparison. Importantly, the Ball doesn’t disappear — it’s simply less dominant as life expands around it.
This model reminds us that grief doesn’t go away, but we can grow our world around it.
Grief is a deeply personal journey, and there’s no right or wrong way to navigate it. This holiday season, give yourself permission to honour your feelings and seek support where needed. You are not alone. ❤
🧠 Understand the ‘Stages’ of Grief
The idea of “stages” is one of the most widely recognised ways people make sense of grief – but it’s often misunderstood.
Our Stages of Grief page explains where the model came from, what the stages really mean, and how they can help (without implying grief follows a neat, linear path).
Explore the page to learn:
📘 What the Five Stages really are (and aren’t)
🧭 Why grief doesn’t follow a straight line
🌊 How emotions can come in waves
🧩 How different grief models may help you
Photo by Edouard TAMBA on Unsplash
