Grieving at Christmas

Christmas can be a challenge in so many ways, think about reaching out and checking in with others affected by death and/or grief.

Ways to help a grieving friend at Christmas | Help 2 Make Sense – This article gives some advice from a support worker at Winston’s Wish and some of the youth team who have shared what would have helped them during the festive season….

  • Acknowledge that this time of year can be difficult
  • Ask them if they want to talk about their grief or not
  • Check in with their wellbeing and offer support
  • It will feel different around Christmas without the loved one around, but it is okay to have ups and downs during this time.
  • Let them know they don’t need to send a long reply, just a simple ‘ok’ or emoji
  • Talk about their person if they want to
  • Reassure them it’s okay to cancel or change plans
  • Be there and/or listen
  • Get help – Winston’s Wish are here to help! We offer one-to-one and group grief support sessions. We also have lots of online resources and a Helpline, email and live chat service where you can talk to bereavement professionals. You can call us on 08088 020 021 (open 8am-8pm, Monday to Friday), email ask@winstonswish.org or use our live chat (open 3-8pm, Monday to Friday) and find out more on our Get Support page.

    If you need urgent support in a crisis, you can contact the 24/7 Winston’s Wish Crisis Messenger by texting WW to 85258.

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