How to cope with your first Christmas without your person - Youth Team
Three of our Youth Ambassadors, Anna, Libby and Angharad, reflect on their first Christmas without their person.
Everyone is unique and everyone grieves differently. This is just the same when it comes to how you cope on Father’s Day. It can be helpful to let go of all expectations and remind yourself that there is no right or wrong way to feel.
Father’s Day can be a good time to slow down and reflect. Give yourself plenty of time and space for reflection and ask yourself ‘How do I feel? What do I need right now?’
Switch off from social media, take a long walk in nature or lounge around watching movies and eating your favourite food. Whatever self-care looks like to you make sure you schedule some in your day.
It can be helpful to plan ahead and think about how you would like to spend the day. You may not know how you are going to feel on the day and that’s okay, your plan can be flexible.
Grief can feel really isolating, especially around big days such as Father’s Day, you may find it helpful to connect with others either face to face or digitally. This may be with friends or family or it may be connecting with others who are finding the day difficult too.
Father’s Day can be a time to remember and you may feel more connected to your person around this time. You may want to visit your person’s favourite place, light a candle or visit their grave. It may be that you mark the day early and do something in memory of your person before Father’s Day so the day can pass like any other. Do what feels right to you and remember your person in your own unique way.
You may be experiencing some really big emotions and often relaxation techniques can help. Practice your go to techniques or try something new. Breathing exercises, yoga or relaxing with music are just a few ideas!
Can you find new ways to express yourself? Father’s Day can be a time to connect with old hobbies or find new ones! As well as helping to connect with others socially, finding ways to be more creative can also distract you from grief when it feels too overwhelming.
It can be helpful to think about ways in which you can communicate your needs to others to let them know how you are feeling and what they can do to support you. Can you talk through your plan for the day with a trusted friend or family member? Can you talk with a professional in education or your employer regarding your work load?
Winston’s Wish are here to support you so please do reach out to our Bereavement Support Team through our help and support line or live chat service if you feel this would be helpful. You are not alone.
If you need to talk, we’re here to listen. You can speak to the Winston’s Wish bereavement team using one of our confidential on-demand services. You can chat with us anonymously if you wish and share whatever you are feeling. Nothing about your grief is off limits. We promise to listen, not judge and can offer advice and guidance if needed. You can speak to us as little or as often as you want.
Click the blue ‘Chat with us’ button at the bottom right of your screen between 8am-8pm, weekdays.
Call us for free on 08088 020 021 between 8am-8pm, weekdays.
If it’s urgent, text WW to 85258 to speak with someone from our trusted partner, Shout. Open 24/7.
If you need to speak to us in a language other than English, we can use interpreters over the phone, and we can use the Relay UK app if you have hearing or speech difficulties.
Three of our Youth Ambassadors, Anna, Libby and Angharad, reflect on their first Christmas without their person.
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