Remembering Loved Ones at Christmas - suggestions?

[MrsAlwaysRight]

This Christmas is the 1st since MIL died. We are having FIL, BIL and his partner over on Christmas Day as feel it is important for the family to all be together (usually don't all get together for the whole day). It is obviously going to be very difficult for them and I just wondered what sort of thing other people plan to do to remember their loved ones?
I feel we should do something but equally (and possibly selfishly) I don't want it to be the main focus of the day as I want DD to enjoy the day. Any suggestions gratefully received

Photo and candle good idea. Last Christmas was our first without Dad. We talked about him and reminisced about previous Christmases and also drank a toast. It's okay to cry too. Remember, though, that our loved ones would not have wanted us to be moping around on Christmas Day. However, it can be a very emotional time and my heart goes out to everyone in this situation. CB xx

I think in lots of countries they place candles in the window to light the Christ-Child home - and so to me a candle at the door is a symbol of a welcome, of home and light and love. I got a very cheap lantern from Ikea and I'm putting it in the porch atm to welcome people home. My mum has always done something similar and I think that part of the reason we are doing this is for the members of our family who won't be coming through our door this year or any year anymore. It's a light to remember them by, shining in the darkness.

When i was young i had an Uncle who had committed suicide a month before christmas and on christmas day we had all his CD's played to remember him before our guests came.

Maybe you could play all your MIL fav tracks as well as the picture and candle idea... this way your DD could have a fun time remembering her gran. It depends on whether people in your family are emotionally ready for this kind of attachment to whether you want to play them with your guests there or not.

Thanks for taking the time to reply my thoughts are with all of you who are in similar situations.

I have mentioned the suggestions to DP and he particularly likes the candle idea so is going to choose a nice one tomorrow. We have very few photos of her as she hated having her photo taken but we do have one of her and FIL with DD on the day she was born so will probably put the candle by that one.