How to create remarkable memories for a kid that lost their grandma at Christmas time

The holiday season often feels like the world comes to a stop — schools close, shops go on break, celebrations abound. But grief and loss pay no mind to the Christmas spirit. Losing a loved one, especially one's mother, can cast an immense shadow over the festive mood. Still, we must find strength not only for ourselves, but for our children. They deserve to create positive memories, unfettered by adult grief.

Though the pain of mourning may persist, kids need light-heartedness and cheer. We can embrace this difficult time by focusing on their joy. Create new traditions to honour departed grandmothers. Bake her legendary cookies or do a craft inspired by her. Share stories and reminisce together. Go somewhere she loved and leave a keepsake there. Build a blanket fort and watch her favourite holiday film inside.

Loss fundamentally changes holidays, but they need not be devoid of meaning. With some creativity and compassion, we can support children's merriment. We remember those we have lost best when we open our hearts to make memories they would cherish. Though the first Christmas without her may ache, recognise that her spirit lives on in every smile.

Gather the family together to celebrate grandma's memory. 

Create a special area in the living room with photographs from throughout her life, surrounding them with meaningful objects that represented her passions - perhaps her favorite books, embroidery pieces she made, or the scent of perfume she loved to wear.

Place candles nearby to symbolise her bright spirit, sharing happy tales about her over Grandma's treasured meals that you recreate. Reminisce about her past times - the programs she never missed on television, games she would play with the grandchildren. Focus on heartwarming memories and what made Grandma special to each family member.

Encourage everyone to contribute their favorite stories so her vivaciousness lives on. Make this a tradition, always remembering the joy Grandma infused in each day. Though the grief remains fresh, let it be balanced by the love that will keep her spirit vibrant even in her physical absence. When you need her comforting presence, reflect on what she taught you and let those timeless lessons lift your heart once more.

Create a memory box.
Ask everyone to write down their favourite memories or messages to Grandma on small pieces of paper. Place these notes in a decorated box. On Christmas day, take turns reading these memories aloud. It can be a beautiful way to honour her and keep her spirit alive.

Special gift.

This Christmas, let’s find or create a special ornament to hang on the tree in honor of grandma. This unique memento will be a symbolic way for the children to feel grandma’s presence and know she remains in all our hearts, though no longer here physically.
The ornament can represent something meaningful about grandma - maybe incorporate a photo, one of her treasured belongings, or an inside joke you shared. Place it prominently on the tree so the kids remember her joy and spirit lighting up past Christmases.

On Christmas morning, call attention to grandma’s special ornament as the kids enter to see the gifts and decorated tree. Remind them that while we commemorate Jesus’ birth, we also honor the memory of our dear grandma who made so many holidays special over the years.
Let this meaningful symbol be a new tradition - a gift passed on each year to represent grandma’s enduring place in our festivities and her beaming presence that will never fade even as time goes on. The memory of her love is the greatest gift our family can share.

Cook Grandma's best recipes.

Grandma was well-known in our family for the delectable Christmas treats and dishes she would prepare every holiday season. This year, let’s keep her culinary memory alive by whipping up some of her famous recipes.

Raid grandma’s old recipe cards for Christmas cookies like her legendary gingerbread men or spiced sugar cookies topped with sweet icing and rainbow sprinkles. In the kitchen, share stories of decorating cookies with her as a child while waiting for them to emerge piping hot from the oven.

Recreate the aromatic holiday ham she prepared, coated thickly with pineapple and brown sugar. As you baste the savoury meat, reminisce about the joy of gathering around grandma’s table, mouthwatering platters covering every inch.

Engage the kids in mixing up her cherished eggnog, allowing them to add the nutmeg just like she did. Handing down these traditions empowers them to carry her cooking legacy for Christmases to come. With each scrumptious bite of grandma’s dishes, her enduring flavour and flair for the season will live on.

This year, let’s add a new tradition to our Christmas festivities that celebrates grandma’s lively spirit. 

Get some helium balloons and fill them with rolled up slips of paper containing grandma’s jokes, quotes, or most hilarious memories written on them.
Gather the kids together and have them take turns popping the balloons to reveal the surprise tributes inside. As each scrap of paper flutters to the ground, let the child sharing grandma’s quips or cherished moments. What a joy it will be to fill the room with her unique humor and outlook once more!

Maybe one has that side-splitting one-liner grandma would always say when opening gifts gone awry. Or that uplifting mantra she’d repeat whenever you felt down. Share stories behind her most iconic expressions and the situations where her quick wit would lighten any mood.
Through capturing glimpses of what made grandma shimmer, we interweave her effervescent spirit into our Christmas festivities. Our hearts will glow remembering the sound of her laughter echoing at gatherings past. Though deeply missed, these happy echoes remind us her vibrant memory endures within each new generation.

Get everyone involved.
Focus on spending quality time together as a family. Play games, watch movies, or engage in activities that Grandma would have enjoyed. 

Support one another.

Pay attention when children express emotions and encourage them to articulate their feelings. Create an environment where they feel safe being open and vulnerable, rather than bottling things up inside. Listening and allowing them to give voice to their inner experiences fosters emotional intelligence and mental well-being. Guide them with empathy.

Create a scrapbook or memory book.

Make a cherished memory book for the children using grandmother's photos and keepsakes. Select a few special pictures from her life along with small mementos like scraps of her favorite fabrics. Place them artfully within a beautiful photo album or memory journal to pull out for the family each Christmas. Slowly introduce this as a new holiday tradition, gently sharing grandmother’s story over the years. The book will keep her spirit and memory alive, weaving her into each Christmas while creating meaningful rituals that the children will fondly remember for a lifetime. Reassure them of her enduring love through this gift of a legacy that will illuminate many holiday seasons to come with her unique sparkle and light.