Grief isn’t just for Christmas – it’s for life.

The first week of December marks Grief Awareness Week, which is slightly ironic given that this can often be a particularly challenging time of year for people who have someone missing at the dinner table on Christmas Day.

While the festive period can be full of joy, excitement, and indulgence, it can also be incredibly lonely, triggering and upsetting for those of us grieving. For much of the year, we get on with life, complete our daily tasks and manage to cope. But when those Christmas songs start playing in the supermarket, it can be a sobering reminder that perhaps what once was a joyful time, is now marked with sadness.

It can be even more difficult if you are surrounded by people who are especially excited about the festive season, while you yourself are wishing it away.

Grief awareness week is a good reminder to check in with yourself this Christmas – whether it’s been one year since you lost your loved one or 50 years, your grief is still valid and worth taking time over. This time of year is riddled with memories, traditions, and general social-ness that can be exhausting if you’re grieving. It can affect us all in different ways and at different points.

Pain can creep into any situation, even when we’re not expecting it. When we are surrounded by talk of ‘family time’ and ‘family plans, ’ it can be hard to accept that your Christmas might look different from everyone else’s or even different from before—both of which can be equally as hard.

But remember, grief isn’t just for Christmas – it’s for life.  There is no timeline for replenishing your festive cheer and enjoying this time of year again. You could be years into your grief and still find certain moments comparable to your lowest. Or this time of year could be full of happy reminders for you - full of love and joy about your loved one. Grief affects everybody differently, so do not feel guilty for finding joy in life again.

Whether you are embracing the Christmas spirit this year, or just simply riding it out, allow yourself to grieve in a way that makes sense for you. You might not feel it, and that’s okay. But if you do, treat yourself with compassion and try and enjoy the little things. Whether that’s more lovely treats, or a bit of time off work or studying to relax.

Remember all the good that is to come.