5 Ways to Help Your Loved one Through the Holiday Season!

What if you are not depressed and it’s your loved one that suffers from depression through the holiday, thereby causing you to feel a little down too.  We covered surviving the holiday weekend last year, http://www.depressionnomore.care/2016/05/6-ways-to-get-rid-of-depression-over.html.   It’s always a good article to refer back to.  

Here are 5 Ways to Help Your Loved One Through the Holiday Season!:

1.        Pray. (Did you expect something else coming from me?, LOL)  Lay everything before God.  Write it if you need to.  The Bible speaks of making our petitions known to God.  List how you feel and what you’ve experienced.  Ask God to hold your loved one through this season and ask God to strengthen you to be the support that they need. 1 John 5:14, 15 ¹⁴ And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:  ¹⁵ And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

2.       Expect less. Don’t expect perfection.  Isn’t it amazing that we expect perfect holidays?  We see the TV shows, the catalogs, the window displays with all of those smiling faces and we want to duplicate that at home.  You can smile and be very happy, just understand that mistakes will happen, things may not always go as planned and every once and in a while, occasions fall apart.  If we stop seeking perfection, we can learn to laugh at the mishaps and refocus on what’s important-spending time with those who we love.  Philippians 4:6 ⁶ Be (anxious) careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Parentheses are mine.

3.       Plan Ahead.  Even though we should expect less, doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t plan.  Plan and plan some more.  Psalm 37:5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

a.       Plan for each holiday event. Think about outfits, transportation, do you have everything that you need.  

b.      Plan for time to recuperate between events for your loved one.  Both you and your loved one will need to rest to enjoy the festivities.  Resting will prepare you for any meltdowns that may occur.

c.       Plan time for their coping skills to be practiced and time to wind down.  Allowing time to pull you together gives clarity and will do the same for them.

d.      Schedule some time for you to spend time together, i.e. walking, playing a game, taking a nap, etc. These are special times that you both will remember.

e.      Even if you visit someone else’s house, ensure that your loved ones “favorite dish” is there.  Make them feel special.

f.        Plan some time to dance.  Even if you are terrible, dancing relieves tension and gives you an opportunity to laugh.  It doesn’t matter who dances either.

4.      Chat it up. Talk about holidays in the past and talk about the future.  Talk about whatever comes to your mind, as long as you’re talking.  When you’re done talking spend some quiet time.  Luke 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

5.       Be Thankful.  Thank God for another Holiday Season together.  You didn’t want to spend it alone anyway.  Thank your loved one for spending the holidays with you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.