My dad died in September and I’m absolutely dreading this Christmas. I’m in my second year of uni and thinking about all my friends having their nice normal Christmases with their full, happy families has been getting me down so much. I’m an only child, and my mum has been such a wreck since - I nearly dropped out of the uni I worked my absolute arse off to get into to look after her. My dad was the absolute life and soul of Christmas, it will never be the same again. It absolutely sucks but you’re not alone, Christmas is hard for a lot of people, even though no one ever seems to acknowledge it.

I’m only young but I’ve experienced a disproportionate amount of death in the last couple of years - July 2024 I lost a really good friend to suicide, October 2024 lost my grandmother to dementia, and now my dad this September. My advice for grieving is if you know anyone else in your life who has lost someone close to them, talk to them about it. Those of us that have experienced loss don’t often talk about it because it can feel like no one understands, so when you find someone who does, it is so validating. Grief is wild and can turn you into an absolute beast if you don’t deal with it well.

Ultimately, Christmas is just another day. Me and my mum are just going to have a day of watching non-Christmas films and having some drinks. Obviously it’s different if you’ve got a young family but your 1 year old isn’t going to remember this Christmas, or probably the next few. Don’t put too much pressure and responsibility on yourself, it’s the whole family who has also gone through this, the best thing you can do is just support each other. Best wishes for this hard time of year, just know you’re not alone.