Christmas 2020 is definitely going to be different from any other that we’ve experienced.  But, the truth is for us widows, Christmas is different with or without Covid-19. We don’t have our loved ones and there are no dreams for it all to be over so that next Christmas will be back to normal.  Not so for us!! The utmost important thing is that you take the recommended health precautions of staying socially distant and to wear masks when outside your social circle or “bubble”. For your mental health, meet up regularly for online chats/video calls with family and friends. If you’ve had health issues because of covid-19 or if you have lost a loved one by it, the holidays are even harder because of the lack of physical support – hugs are so needed at this time. Be flexible about family traditions and honor their memories, even if you are doing it by yourself.  Holidays are not for the weak hearted and with a broken heart it sometimes takes everything you have to just get out of bed. If you begin to feel that life is not worth living or have thoughts of self-harm, seek professional help immediately.  Reach out to someone you trust, call your suicide help line or make an appointment to see a professional counselor. Surviving the holidays will take all the support and encouragement you can surround yourself with. Download my Free Guides, subscribe to my Blog and request to join on Facebook “The Sisterhood of Widows – Private Group for Widows”.  It’s a group of over 4,000 widows from around the world that support and encourage each other. You don’t have to do this alone – reach out online and get the support you need.