The holiday season can be complicated, especially when grief sits close to the surface. This time of year can hold warmth, connection, and moments that feel comforting, but it can also stir memories, tension, loneliness, and emotions that feel heavier than usual. If this season brings more questions than joy, more ache than celebration, you are not alone.
For many survivors of murder-suicide, this time of year can shine a light on the empty spaces and unspoken layers of our stories. Grief does not follow a calendar, and it rarely cares about holidays. Your experience is valid, whether it feels tender, overwhelming, peaceful, complicated, or somewhere in between.
There is no single way to move through these weeks. You get to show up in the way that feels right for you.
Below are some gentle practices that may offer moments of grounding or steadiness as you navigate the season. Take what fits your heart and leave the rest.
Gentle Practices for the Holiday Season
Give yourself permission
Permission to rest. Permission to not meet expectations. Permission to decline an invitation. Permission to step away. Your needs matter, and your boundaries can be a form of care.
Create a grounding moment
Pause for one slow breath. Feel your feet on the floor. Notice what you can see, hear, or touch. Even a few quiet seconds can soften the weight of the moment.
Choose connection that feels safe
Reach out to someone who understands your heart. Sometimes a small message — “thinking of you today” — can offer a steadying sense of companionship.
Honor your loved one in whatever way feels meaningful
A candle. A photo. A sentence written in a journal. A memory spoken aloud. Stepping outside to look at the sky. There is no wrong way to remember.
Build in small breaks
Take a walk. Step into another room. Sit by a window. Listen to something soothing. Wrap up in a blanket. You do not have to hold everything at once.
Care for your body with gentleness
Drink water. Warm your hands around a mug. Eat something nourishing. Stretch your shoulders. Rest when you can. Your body is doing the best it can with what it carries.
Set loving boundaries
You are allowed to change plans, decline conversations, or protect your energy. It is okay to prioritize what helps you feel safe.
Seek out small moments of comfort
Soft light. A warm beverage. Nature. Music. A kind word. These do not erase grief, but they can offer a small exhale when the days feel heavy.
Know that you can reach out
You are part of a community that understands the complexity of grief after murder suicide. You can always come back to this space for connection, understanding, and care.
Permission to rest. Permission to not meet expectations. Permission to decline an invitation. Permission to step away. Your needs matter, and your boundaries can be a form of care.
May you feel held in small and steady ways this season.