It may be labeled 'the most wonderful time of the year', but not everyone feels this way about the holidays. The season can be difficult for a number of reasons, but it is important to know that there is empathy and, even, help. Here are a few books that remind us that even during challenging times, the holidays can bring us joy.
When Holidays Hurt: Finding Hidden Hope Amid Pain and Loss by Bo Stern: Bo spent two Christmases struggling to connect with the joy of the season. As she watched her husband, Steve, struggle with terminal ALS, Bo quietly felt her spirit for the season fade--and has noticed others suffering the same way.
Through stories and scriptures, Bo offers readers:
- A way to redeem what can often become painful days--Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries, milestones such as weddings and graduations, and more
- 35 thoughtful devotions divided into specific seasons of life that range from holidays to special occasions
- At the end of each devotional, tangible ways to find hidden hope and prayers to recite
When Holidays Hurt is an encouraging self-purchase or gift for loved ones who are hurting and enduring hard times and need to be reminded of hope, peace, and purpose. Bo’s authentic voice promotes readers to thrive during the holidays and equips them with coping tools to use throughout the year.
Surviving the Holidays Without You: Navigating Grief During Special Seasons by Gary Roe: You've lost someone you love. Your heart is broken. Now you're facing a holiday or special occasion.
What are you going to do? How do you handle this?
Bestselling author, hospice chaplain, and grief specialist Gary Roe has given you a grief survival kit designed for the holidays. Speaking from both personal and professional grief experiences, he will empower you to navigate special days and seasons with new confidence.
Holidays are difficult, especially when you're grieving the loss of someone you love. In this book, you will discover how to:
- Deal with unspoken yet powerful expectations
- Handle continual memories and reminders of your loved one
- Face feeling misunderstood, lonely, and isolated
- Process unpredictable emotions and feeling vulnerable
- Take yourself and your own heart seriously
- Make good choices—what to do, how, and with whom
Finding your way to grieve well over the holidays can be overwhelming without a trusted guide. Gary knows your pain and will walk beside you, offering effective tools to help you face the holidays with hope rather than apprehension.
Healing from loss is challenging. Facing a holiday while grieving the loss of a spouse, child, parent, or someone close is tough duty. Use holidays and special times to help you grieve and honor the one you're missing.
The Empty Chair: Handling Grief on Holidays and Special Occasions by Susan J. Zonnebelt-Smeenge, R.N., ED. D. and Robert C. DeVries, D. Min, PH.D.: Losing a loved one whether a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or friend leaves people feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. Holidays and other special occasions seem to intensify the pain. Whether the occasion is Christmas or Easter, a birthday or anniversary, these celebrations force the bereaved to again face the reality of a loved one's absence. Susan Zonnebelt Smeenge and Robert C. De Vries know first hand the sorrow of bereavement: Both lost a spouse. Yet as they faced their pain and gleaned insights from their professions Susan is a psychologist, Robert, a minister they found renewed richness on special days that once brought heartache. In The Empty Chair, the authors share a comforting blend of emotional support, spiritual guidance, and personal experience to help readers honor their loved one on important days. Those who support the bereaved mental health professionals, pastors, funeral home staff, and others will also appreciate this book for its reflective yet practical approach.
