The holidays can bring a complicated mix of emotions when you’re grieving. While the season is often filled with celebration and connection, it can also highlight the absence of someone you love. The lights, songs, and traditions that once brought joy may now stir sadness, longing, or even guilt for moments of happiness.
At Marble Wellness in St. Louis, we understand how tender this time can be. This gentle toolkit offers comforting ways to care for your heart, honor your loved one, and find space for peace—even when grief feels especially heavy during the holidays.
A Gentle Toolkit for Tender Days
Feel your feelings.
Whatever comes up: sadness, anger, gratitude, numbness…is valid. Let your emotions move through you. Writing them down can offer relief and clarity.
Practice self-care and self-compassion.
Give yourself permission to move slowly. Rest when you need to. Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer someone you love.
Set healthy expectations and boundaries.
Show up only as much as you’re able. It’s okay to decline invitations, leave early, or step away for a breather. Your well-being matters.
Give yourself moments of joy without guilt.
Letting yourself enjoy small holiday moments doesn’t mean you’re forgetting your loved one. Joy and grief can coexist.
Be mindful of social media.
Holiday posts can intensify grief. It’s okay to mute, log off, or limit scrolling for a while.
Ask for help when you need it.
You are not a burden. Reaching out for support—emotional or practical—is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Honor your loved one.
Create small moments of remembrance: light a candle, set out a favorite photo, cook a special meal, say a prayer, share a story. Let love be part of your holiday. (Consider our family grief workbook above to help)
Include your children.
Invite them into the planning or memory-making. It can give them comfort and help them feel connected.
Give yourself permission to opt out.
If celebrating feels too heavy, it’s okay to skip traditions this year. Stay home, keep things simple, or travel somewhere that feels different and gentle.
Plan ahead.
Holiday emotions can hit unexpectedly. Making a simple plan, including backup options, can soften the stress of the unknown. (Consider using our holiday planning guide to help)
Limit sensory overload.
Reduce the outside shopping time. The holidays can be loud, bright, and overstimulating. It’s okay to choose quieter activities, shorter visits, or calming environments.
Don’t rush your grief.
Grief is love you’re learning to carry in a new way. It’s natural and healthy to remember past holidays when your loved one was still here.
Connect with others who understand.
Whether through a support group, a grief circle, or one trusted person, it can help to talk with someone who gets it.
There’s no “right” way to move through grief, especially during the holidays. Your emotions, pace, and boundaries all matter. Whether you find comfort in quiet reflection, small acts of remembrance, or seeking support from others, know that healing doesn’t mean forgetting—it means finding new ways to carry love forward. If this season feels especially hard, consider reaching out for professional support.
Start Grief Counseling in the St. Louis Area
At Marble Wellness, our compassionate therapists in St. Louis and surrounding areas are here to walk with you through every step of your healing journey. Not only do we have a team of therapists in Ballwin, MO, but we have also recently expanded to serve the Lake St. Louis and Wentzville area! Reach out to our Client Care Coordinator today to discuss your therapy options, both in-person and via online therapy in Missouri.
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About Our St. Louis Area Therapists
The St. Louis area therapists at Marble Wellness are licensed mental health professionals serving clients in Ballwin, Lake St. Louis, and throughout the greater STL area, with online therapy in Missouri available across the state. Each member of our expert therapist team brings advanced training and extensive experience in areas like anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, life transitions, and relationship concerns.
When you reach out, you are matched with a therapist whose background, specialties, and style align with your goals so you can have both practical tools for right now and deeper insight for long-term change. To learn more about the therapists at Marble Wellness, visit our Meet Our Team page to read individual bios, specialties, and locations, and to take the next step toward the calmer, more fulfilling life you’ve been wanting.
Additional Counseling Services at Marble Wellness in St. Louis, MO
Marble Wellness Counseling services are designed to help set you on a path of living a more fulfilled, calm, and happy life. Our St. Louis area therapists have a variety of training backgrounds and areas of expertise. We have child and play therapists, therapists for teens, EMDR therapists, men’s mental health experts, couples therapists, and more! We specialize in anxiety, depression, grief, chronic illness, trauma & PTSD, life transitions, and maternal overwhelm. Our practice also specifically helps new moms with various postpartum concerns, moms in the thick of parenting, and moms with teens. We can also chat from wherever you are in the state with online therapy in Missouri. No matter where you are in your journey, we are here to help you thrive!
