Remembering Loved Ones at Christmas

As the year draws to a close, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the months that have passed. For some, Christmas is a season filled with family, warmth and celebration but for those who are grieving, the holidays can feel very different – quieter, heavier and marked by a deep sense of absence.

It’s important to acknowledge that grief at Christmas is not unusual. When the world around us seems to glow with festivity, the contrast can make loss feel even more profound. Giving yourself permission to feel what you feel, whether joy, sadness, or a mixture of both, is an act of kindness to yourself.

Those who have experienced grief know how complicated it can be. Christmas festivities might bring comfort and nostalgia and, that’s okay. Allowing yourself small moments of laughter or joy does not mean you have ‘moved on’. It simply means you are honouring the love that remains.

Traditions

For many, Christmas is marked by traditions filled with memories of the person who is no longer here. Grief can often feel like an unexpected guest, never quite fitting into your life and never staying where you want them to. It doesn’t want to sit with you at the table, join your Christmas traditions or be part of the moments you want to hold onto.

But grief isn’t something that wants to exist in you, it’s simply the shape that love takes when someone important is no longer here. It arrived because they mattered and serves as a reminder of the ones we loved.

To help navigate the festive season, both keeping old traditions and creating new ones can offer comfort and connection.

Some Christmas traditions might include:

• Hanging a Christmas ornament or bauble that holds sentimental value

• Decorating the tree with a photograph or something that symbolises your loved one

• Lighting a candle in remembrance

• Attending a memorial or remembrance service

• Making a toast at your Christmas meal with their favourite drink

• Listening to their favourite Christmas song

• Write a letter addressed to your loved one in a way to write down your thoughts, feelings and memories

• Taking part in Little’s Funeral Service Shine Bright campaign – share a loved one’s name and message by 15th December to be included in a collective tribute on 20th December

At the same time, creating new traditions can help weave healing into the season. Perhaps it’s baking a new recipe, taking a winter walk, or starting a tradition of writing down one happy memory from the year. These small acts can help balance remembrance with renewal.

Glasgow Remembrance Services

• Craigton Crematorium, Glasgow – Saturday 13th December at 2pm

• Christmas Carol & Memorial Service, Bishopbriggs Crematorium – Thursday 11th December at 6pm

• Hurlet Crematorium Christmas Memorial Service – Monday 15th December at 6:30pm
  
  These memorial service are Glasgow based, if you don’t live nearby, there are usually services held throughout Scotland in churches and crematoriums throughout December.

First Christmas After Bereavement

The first year without your loved one can feel particularly daunting. It’s okay to take things slowly, to let go of expectations, and to approach the day one step at a time. Small, meaningful gestures can help you feel grounded without overwhelming you.

Everyone grieves differently, and there is no right or wrong way to face this time of year.

Talk to Someone

If you or someone you know is struggling this festive period, or if you simply want the space to talk about your loved one, we are here to help at Little’s Funeral Service.

There are also many organisations offering guidance, community, and professional support:

• The Good Grief Trust

• What’s your Grief? – grief website and online community

• Grief Encounter – Supporting bereaved children and young people

• Cruse Bereavement Support

• Much Loved – Memory platform

• Marie Curie Bereavement Support -for those affected by terminal illness.

• Sue Ryder Online Bereavement Community – peer-to-peer support.

• Child Bereavement UK

As we continue through this festive period, may you find comfort in the spaces and moments that feel right for you – whether that is attending a remembrance service, honouring a cherished tradition or simply taking the time to rest. Grief can make Christmas feel different but it also reminds us the depth of the love we carry.

Whatever this season holds for you, be gentle with yourself. Reach out when you need support, hold close the memories that bring warmth. You are not alone and your loved one’s presence, though different now, continues to shape your life in meaningful ways.

May this Christmas remind you that love still shines in the traditions, memories, and connections you carry forward.

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