How do you remember passed loved ones?

[chillydownwiththefiregang]

I lost my grandmother to Covid- and I'm planning on raising a toast to her this Christmas. I'm interested if anyone has any special ways they remember a loved one at Christmas? ♥️

My dad was a forestry worker but passed away 1 year ago. I made a little Xmas tree out of sticks to remember him by. Looks better than it sounds!!

@Tal45

Baubles of dead people on Christmas trees give me the creeps. Much nicer to light a candle or tell stories about things you did with them IMO.

Read the room dear.

Baubles of dead people on Christmas trees give me the creeps. Much nicer to light a candle or tell stories about things you did with them IMO

What an insensitive thing to say on what is otherwise a lovely thread of people that have lost loved ones sharing what helps them at Christmas. If someone chooses to hang a bauble on their tree that reminds them of a sadly missed and much loved person how does that affect you in any way exactly?

@MoonlightMedicine

I had a little cry reading that, very, very touching

Also just to say that these aren't "dead people" these are beloved family or friends, mine is very much alive in my heart and perhaps if this thread is "creepy" then just click away.

This thread has brought me a lot of peace at a hard time. And some lovely ideas I might borrow

You are lucky, pp, that you are not grieving. Many people in the last few years have lost those near and dear. They deserve to be remembered in anyway that is appropriate for the bereaved.

We lost my dad a couple of weeks ago.

I don't really know how Christmas Day is going to go to be honest. But reading your ways of remembering loved ones has been so touching. I'm so sorry to everyone who is missing a loved one this Christmas, but what wonderful ways to honour them.

I've bought my mum a lovely photo of her and Dad but I'll warn her about it before she opens it.

And DC are getting little Christmas ornaments in their stockings with photos of them and him. Almost as if he had Santa bring them a gift.

Mum's staying here with us. I know it'll be hard but hopefully the fun will outweigh the sadness.

Maybe we'll raise a glass at dinner but even typing that is making me cry so I'm not sure I could cope....

@Tal45 - how privileged you are to find a bauble creepy.

Those of us who have sat and watched someone they loved die, arranged their funerals, and tried to keep Christmas going for our kids while they can barely function see such things as wonderful reminders of those we dearly miss.

One day you'll be a "dead person" too. Would you rather at that point no one has a picture of you, or celebrated your life?

Because I would love it if someone hung a photo of me on their Christmas tree, and reminisced about how much effort I put into making Christmas special and how much I loved my family.

@DingoDango

I'm sorry to hear about your loss, just to say that there's a MN thread over on bereavement for those of us grieving a parent. I was in your situation last year (i.e. newly bereaved and facing that very difficult, strange first Christmas without ddad) and I found the thread a port in a storm. Everyones journey is different of course, but I just wanted to give you a heads up that it's there if needed. Lots of practical support and a kind word or two, when you most need it. X

When I was a small child I remember wondering why my family always did the 'absent friends' toast as from my perspective Christmas always had the same people and no one was ever absent!

Obviously as I got older that changed, and I've realised that of course they were thinking of their own grandparents etc who were gone before I was born.

It's so touching reading all your lovely traditions. Thank you for sharing ♥️