Page 22 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Winter 2020- Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS

Getting Through the Holidays

Comfort & Joy
with

by Colleen Eppler

Thanksgiving through Valentine’s Keep it simple. Remember.
Day is a magical and exciting time This is not the year to keep Consider remembering your loved
of year - unless you’re in grief. After everything “just like normal”. Give one intentionally. Some will cook
a loss, what used to be delightful yourself some slack. Unless you a favorite dish of their loved one
indicators of the coming season - really want to decorate your home, or have an empty chair around the
fragrances, foods, winter sweaters, complete with house lights outside dinner table or a candle, representing
decorations, parties - all of these can and the blow-up snowman, try a their life. Do what feels authentic to
become landmines of emotion from meaningful bent, such as a small tree, you. Create your own memory - you
your last holiday together with your menorah or nativity on your coffee may decide to do it yearly or just this
loved one. Things that used to be fun, table. first year.
like shopping for the perfect gift for
a grandchild or friend, now may feel Consider new traditions. Don’t forget about yourself.
overwhelming. Don’t feel like attending parties? Buy yourself a gift from your loved
Consider helping in a soup kitchen or one. Go ahead - do it!
It’s not like you can hide away until going out to dinner with a few close
it’s all over. Businesses decorate for friends. Yes, this may be a tearful holiday,
the holidays as early as October! but go ahead and embrace the tears.
Christmas cards begin greeting Instead of spending hours shopping, There will come a year when you
you in your mailbox, and the sales give cash or gift cards. It may feel will be able to smile again and your
and commercials on television are insincere, (although, who doesn’t memories of past holidays with your
constant. So, unless you have a love gift cards?) but this year, your loved one will overshadow this year.
life where you can be a bear and energy may need to be more focused. And if you need to talk, someone
hibernate until the spring, you will Rather than being all things to all will always be there to listen. Find a
somehow, someway have to survive people, decide what is absolutely good friend or grief counselor who
the next few weeks. will walk with you. You can make
necessary and do those few things it through these coming weeks with
Here are some tips to help you well. Instead of having the big meal comfort and joy.
navigate through the holidays: at your house, consider bringing the
green-bean casserole and be okay
with having it somewhere else this
year.

22 Amarillo Senior Link