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🎥Navigating Grief During the Holidays: A Special Blog Featuring Dr. Erin Hope Thompson

The holidays are often painted as a season of joy and togetherness, but for many, this time of year amplifies feelings of grief and loss.

Dr. Erin Hope Thompson, Founder of The Loss Foundation, recently hosted a live video discussing these challenges and introduced our Holiday Grief Workbook. In this blog, we revisit key insights from her live, answer frequently asked questions, and explore helpful tools like The Jar Model to navigate grief during the festive season.

Watch the Live on Holiday Grief >

Dr. Erin’s live video offers heartfelt advice and practical strategies for coping with grief at Christmas.

While the session has ended, you can watch the recorded video here to gain insights into how you might manage your grief this holiday season.

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.

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.

Q&A: Questions About Grief at Christmas

1. What advice do you have for someone who feels isolated in their grief?

Grief can be incredibly isolating, especially during the holidays when it seems like everyone else is celebrating. It’s helpful to reach out for support, whether through a grief support group, trusted friends, or professionals. You don’t have to go through this alone. There are people and resources available to offer understanding and comfort.

Find more information about our services for people bereaved by cancer here.

2. Is it better to pretend to be happy over Christmas rather than tell people how I really feel?

It’s important to acknowledge that it’s okay to not feel joyful during the holidays. Grief can make it difficult to meet societal expectations of happiness. Give yourself permission to feel what you feel and be kind to yourself. Set realistic expectations, and participate in holiday activities only when you’re ready.

3. How can I handle difficult comments from others during this time?

People often don’t know what to say and may unintentionally say things that feel hurtful. Setting boundaries is key. A simple, honest response like, “I appreciate your concern, but I’m finding this time really difficult” can help communicate your needs. It’s okay to remove yourself from situations that don’t feel right and focus on self-care.

4. Does grief stay forever?

Grief is not linear; it changes and evolves over time and is unique to every individual. Instead of viewing grief as something with defined stages, it can be helpful to explore the range of emotions that arise. Learn more about the nature of grief here.

5. Grief is hard every day, not just Christmas. How can I cope?

Grief is a daily challenge, and the holidays can add a layer of pressure. It’s common to feel overwhelmed by the absence of a loved one and isolated if others seem to enjoy the festivities. Remember, it’s okay to step back from traditional holiday expectations and focus on what feels manageable for you.

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

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

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

Many people first encounter grief through the idea of “stages,” but the model is often simplified or misunderstood.

Our Stages of Grief page looks at where the framework began, what each stage represents, and how it can support understanding – without suggesting that grief unfolds in a tidy order.

Explore the page to learn:

📘 A clear explanation of what the Five Stages are (and what they’re not)
🧭 Why grief rarely moves in a straight line
🌊 How feelings can rise and fall in waves
🧩 Other grief models that may resonate more with your experience

👉 Explore the ‘stages of grief‘

Shelley

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