Whether this is your first Christmas without your child or your twenty-first, you don't forget.
Whether you lost your child in pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adolescence, or adulthood, it's still your baby who's not with you.
And Christmas just doesn't feel the same without him or her there. But there are some special things you can do to include your child in Heaven in your family activities this Christmas. It won't take the missing away - nothing ever does - but it can help soften the edge of grief. If you are at a loss for how to do that, here are ten simple ideas. (And if you are seeking ways to honor a friend's child in Heaven this Christmas, please check out my post here.)
Whether you lost your child in pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adolescence, or adulthood, it's still your baby who's not with you.
And Christmas just doesn't feel the same without him or her there. But there are some special things you can do to include your child in Heaven in your family activities this Christmas. It won't take the missing away - nothing ever does - but it can help soften the edge of grief. If you are at a loss for how to do that, here are ten simple ideas. (And if you are seeking ways to honor a friend's child in Heaven this Christmas, please check out my post here.)
- Hang her stocking. It's a wonderful visual reminder that your child did live - and still does live in the presence of God.
- Buy or make a memorial ornament. The one above is one I made from dismantled clothespins, but there are so many options.
- Bless another child in his memory, possibly one that is the age your child would have been this Christmas. This could be through Toys for Tots, Operation Christmas Child, World Vision, Compassion, Angel Tree, or any other number of charitable organizations.
- Set up a fund for others to donate to in her name.
- Participate in a RACK (random acts of Christmas Kindness) in his name and encourage others to do the same.
- Buy and wear memorial jewelry.
- Make a photo album to celebrate her life. If you don't have any pictures because your loss was during pregnancy, use pictures of yourself during and since your pregnancy and tell the story of your baby's life.
- Dedicate a Christmas poinsettia at church in his memory.
- Wear or hold something that reminds you of her for family photos and to family events.
- Use your child's name. Talk about him or her, with each other and with your living children. One of the things we miss out on when our child is in Heaven is hearing and speaking that child's name. It is okay to talk about him or her. Make that your Christmas gift to yourself. And, if your have never named your baby (which is perfectly okay), but have wanted to (which is also perfectly okay), this is a precious time of year to do that as well.
What are some ways that you have found to include your child in Heaven in your Christmas traditions? Please share them below!
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