Holidays such as Easter can be especially difficult for families who have lost someone special in their life. With so many people sharing their happy moments it can be difficult to avoid the holidays and it can be a constant reminder that your loved one is no longer here.

Our Full Circle partners at the peer support charity WAY Widowed and Young have some advice from their members about how they navigate holidays like Easter:

How about making a list of things to do and letting the child(ren) choose what they would prefer. That way you can let them have a choice but keep things within budget or comfort zones. It can be as simple as going for a walk in a favourite spot and getting hot chocolate after; or watching a movie with pillows and popcorn at home; or some kind of art or craft or baking activity. It beats being begged to do something you don’t want to or can’t afford to do.

Eleanor, WAY Member

“I am thinking of everyone this Easter weekend and sending lots of love. I really struggled last year as it was my second Easter holidays without my husband. I was still in shock and so far away the first year. Last year it really hit me.

“Seeing everyone having a good time with their families & partners reminded me of how much I’ve lost & how alone I feel. I’m lucky to have my family around me but I just feel so alone and empty. No one understands how hard these holidays can be when you are grieving. I miss our time together. If my husband was here now, we would have been down at the beach having the best time together. But I will pick myself up as I always do & get through it.” – Elen, WAY member

My advice to other bereaved families is to always have hope that things can get better as the years go by. I always try and keep my husband’s name alive in every holiday. Doing something we used to do always helps me to cope. Easter will pass and we will get through the hard times & come out stronger, in time.

Elen, WAY Member

Following Elen’s experience, she came up with a list of tips that can help when it comes to coping with grief. Here is what Elen recommends:

• Taking care of yourself by doing things that make you feel good
• Watching a good series (something not about love maybe). Try something funny to help lift your mood a bit.
• Beach walks – hearing the waves can lift the spirits
• Dog walks
• Speaking with a friend
• Getting in touch with other widowed friends or groups like WAY Widowed and Young
• Hot baths
• Booking yourself a hotel spa day, if you’re able to
• Cooking your favourite food, including ice cream (a lot of ice cream!)
• Walking in the park
• Reading a book to escape from reality for a while
• Try practising yoga and mindfulness

Plan ahead: book travel assistance, if you need it. Be prepared to come home early. Celebrate how you wish to either with a egg hunt, church service or ignore it altogether.

Sophie, WAY Member

Former WAY member, Gavin shares his Easter adventure with his son that revealed three important things after he lost his wife and mother to his son.

“My son Magnus and I embarked on a big adventure last year – a trip to New York during the Easter holidays. It was such a surprisingly wonderful time, and despite Nat’s absence, we discovered three important things. First, we realised that, if we can do this, we can go anywhere. Second, even thought Nat wasn’t there, we could still have a good time. Lastly, we got to spend the holiday as Magnus and dad, without carrying the weight of sadness on our shoulders.

“New York was a turning point for me. Every day, the healing process gets a little bit easier. Instead of being trapped in the void of what we lost, we choose to focus on what we had – a truly spectacular life together. Honouring Nat’s memory means making sure that Magnus continues to be a boy filled with humour and a sense of adventure.” – Gavin

About WAY

The WAY Widowed and Young community offers a safe space to talk to other people (both with and without children) who understand how it feels to be widowed at a young age.

Find out how WAY can support you at www.widowedandyoung.org.uk

Supporting grieving children and young people during the Easter break

The easter break can be a time for joy and celebration for many, but for those who are grieving the death of someone, it can be an especially challenging time. Here are some ways to help manage grief over the Easter break.

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The easter break can be a time for joy and celebration for many, but for those who are grieving the death of someone, it can be an especially challenging time. 

For some children and young people, school or college can serve as a distraction from their grief, so when the holidays come around, the change in routine can bring up thoughts and emotions that they may have been previously masking. If you are supporting a grieving child or young person, they may need extra care and understanding during this time. 

Here are some ways you can help to manage grief over the Easter break. 

Open communication

Encourage open and honest communication with the children and young people that you are supporting. Let them know that it’s okay to talk about their feelings and memories of the person that has died. It’s also important to let them know that it’s okay to feel however they want to feel during this time. 

Create ways to help them express their feelings

Supporting children and young people to express their emotions can be helpful. Sometimes they may not have the words to say but they can express how they feel in other ways, like painting, drawing or play.  

Other ways to help express how they feel, is through meaningful rituals. This could be anything from lighting a candle in honour of the person who has died to planting a flower in their memory. 

Acknowledge how they want to grieve

It’s important to respect and acknowledge how children and young people want to grieve over the Easter period. Some may want to take part in traditional celebrations, while others may prefer to spend quiet time alone or with family.  

However, they want to grieve is okay and they shouldn’t be forced to act in a way that isn’t in line with how they are feeling. 

Offer practical support

Offer practical support to help alleviate some of the stress that may come from any responsibilities that they may be facing whilst grieving. This could be things like household chores, preparing meals, or helping with homework or studies. 

Plan healthy distractions

Plan activities or outings that can serve as healthy distractions during the Easter break. Whether it’s going for a walk in nature, watching a movie, or participating in a creative project. Finding ways to engage their minds and bodies can be beneficial. 

Take care of yourself

Remember to also take care of yourself as well, especially if you are also grieving the death of the same person. You cannot pour from an empty cup, so make sure to prioritise your own self-care and seek support. We’re here to help. 

Seek professional help if needed

If the grieving child or young person is struggling to cope, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Winston’s Wish. Managing grief can be tricky. There isn’t a step-by-step process as emotions can be up one minute and down the next. But don’t worry, if you need support, we are available for you. 

The Easter break may be a difficult time for some grieving children and young people, but not for all. It’s important to check in to see if they need extra support but also ok to give them space if they do not. 

How to get grief support

Winston’s Wish provides support for children, young people up to the age of 25 and adults supporting them.  

You can call our Freephone Helpline on 08088 020 021 (8am-8pm, Monday to Friday), email us on ask@staging.winstonswish.org or use our live chat (open 8am-8pm, Monday to Friday). Our support workers are here to listen, can offer immediate guidance and resources and tell you what support we can offer and what might be most suitable for you.  

Our Winston’s Wish Crisis Messenger is available 24/7 for urgent support in a crisis. Text WW to 85258.  

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