CNN’sHealth Library includes information to help cope with loss during the holidays (excerpt):
Don’t give yourself a hard time if grieving is taking longer than you or others think is appropriate. Grief isn’t bound by time. However, if your grief remains unbearable for years or thoughts of your loved one continue to bring intense emotional pain, consider seeking help from your doctor or a mental health professional.
But bear in mind that your grief may be worse during the second holiday season than the first after your loss. You may glide through the first holiday season numbed by sadness and busy handling wills and estates.
As the second season approaches, your grief may be sharper. At the same time, you may no longer be getting the emotional support you did earlier. Knowing that your sense of loss and sadness may temporarily intensify can help you prepare for it, Askew says.
When thoughts of your loved one bring more comfort than pain, and memories are more heartwarming than distressing, it’s an indication that the healing has begun, Askew says.
“Always hold on to the hope that the holidays will be enjoyable again,” she says. “That doesn’t mean forgetting your loved one. It means paying attention to your grief and softening the pain. Loss is like a scar: It will heal over, but it will also leave a mark.”