Empty Stocking
We have many friends who lost a loved one over the past couple of years.
For many who’ve lost loved ones, the empty stocking hanging by the fire leads to more pain and tears.
Miscarriages and infant loss can be especially hard when you planned to have a new baby to cuddle and buy gifts for. The loss of a friend, sibling, or parent can cause us to feel like so much is missing during the holidays. Child loss brings a whole different kind of sorrow.
A few ideas for honoring your loved ones:
1. Put the stockings up and have a small pad and pencil nearby. Encourage family members and friends who visit to write their favorite memories of your loved one and put them in the stocking. You can read them Christmas day. Or folks can pull one out to read whenever they want. You’ll have a treasure of sweet memories.
2. Buy small gifts, things your loved one liked. Then take the gifts to a local homeless shelter, children’s home, nursing home, or hospital
3. Buy copies of their favorite books to donate to a school library, public library, or hospital.
4. If you’ve lost a child, pick an angel of the same age and gender of your child from an Angel Tree. Lavish that child with gifts that show them the love of Christ.
5. If your loved one was an animal lover, fill their sticking with pet items. Donate them to your local shelter.
A friend who lost her husband this year is filling his stocking with his favorite toothpaste, gum, snacks, deodorant plus new socks, gloves, and undies. She plans to give them to someone at our local mission the day before Christmas.
How do you honor your loved ones at Christmas?
christmas, grieiving the holidays
Anonymous
I hadn’t thought to ask anyone…
KathleenBDuncan
We found many want to help but don’t know what to do.
I’m praying you will think of someone to ask and that God will prepare the way.
LosingLucas
My son died in August. I had thought to have his stocking filled with memories. His birthday is near Christmas – he would have been 19 – and I thought I would invite his friends to come, have a meal, and write memories of him, too. Itʻs just all the work to do that feels very hard right now.
KathleenBDuncan
I understand. Is there a close friend who can head this up for you? Maybe one of his friends’ moms?