12/14/2025
It’s Okay If You Just Want It To Be Over
If you’re grieving the loss of someone you love the holidays are probably making your grief even more brutal.
Everyone else is getting ready to have fun and celebrate, and you're sitting with the unmistakable ache of who’s missing.
The holidays don't just remind you of the person you lost. They highlight it in bright, flashing colored lights.
There's always this unspoken expectation to get through the holidays, or even enjoy them, but when you're grieving, that expectation can feel impossible. All the annual traditions, memories, and that dreaded empty chair at the table, are all just reminders of who’s gone.
While the world around you might be full of cheer, it's okay if that’s not how you feel.
It's okay if this holiday season isn't filled with joy.
Here’s the thing… it’s even okay if you just want it to be over.
Trust me…I get it!
You don't have to pretend to feel something you don't.
And maybe, just maybe, you'll even find moments where you can sit in silence and honor the person you love and miss in your own way.
I know it won’t make the hurt go away, but it might give you a little space to hold both the grief and the love you still carry for them.
Just know that if this time feels unbearable, you're not alone in it. There’s so many of us that dread the holidays now.
And if that's you, it's okay to do what you need to do to get through it, whether that means canceling plans, starting new traditions, or just letting yourself feel the sadness.
There's no right way to do this…there’s just your way.
Gary Sturgis - Surviving Grief
