First Christmas after bereavement

[Selttan]

We lost my mum in October and I'm after some ideas of how to fill the day so we aren't just crying into our turkey. Mum was the heart of our family and the glue that kept us together.

We are a small family - Christmas was normally just 5/6 of us but this year will likely be just my Dad and I and maybe my sister.

If it's not too hot (I'm in Australia) I was considering an after lunch walk but that's all I've come up with.

I lost my dad last January so this is my first Christmas without him being around. I plan on setting some time aside to just talk about how much he liked Christmas and just remember him, looking at old photos etc and we have a nice special photo of him that's going to sit on the side when we have our Christmas dinner and family over for Boxing Day.

My dad died on 6 October and im really struggling too. Condolences to you both

Nothing wrong with crying into your Turkey

@Selttan Did your mum love Christmas? If she did you can embrace it in her honour. I had a sister, who was a twin, and she died when she was 30 (she had a rare neurological condition, did clinical trials at Great Ormond Street Hospital and was the longest survivor in Europe). Every year we have a family party at her twin's house. It's a celebration of my lovely sister. We have a Christmas competition. My brother in law makes the trophies and the local engraver doesn't even charge him for them, he just wants to see who has won. These parties started over 40 years ago as our lovely Debra became suddenly ill so we decided that the first Saturday of December we would have a family party for her before everyone went on work parties and friends Christmas nights out.
I know it's not the same for you, but could you think of something about your mam that you could all do to celebrate her life, raise a glass to her and just take a little moment in time to acknowledge her and be grateful for her and then get on with your Christmas celebrations which I'm sure she would want.