Honoring our Loved Ones During the Holidays

By Lisa Huycke

December 2021

Last night, we gathered at Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary and Memorial Park to celebrate the life of my Mother-in-Law, Barbara.  The Hansen family and staff offers this opportunity to all the families they serve throughout the year to honor loved ones who have passed.

Both of my in-laws passed last January and— like so many families around the world— we were not able to have a memorial service for them.  We missed the rituals that help celebrate and honor the lives of our loved ones.  We missed gathering with family and friends who also loved them.  We especially missed hearing the stories and laugher that surely would have been shared.  We wanted our kids to hear stories of how their Grandparent’s friends knew them. 

The sanctuary was beautifully decorated, with a Christmas tree as the focal point. A harpist played in the background and the program featured solos of “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night”.  The speakers acknowledged the challenges and heartache of facing the holidays without our loved ones.

Each family was called forward to place an ornament on the tree, bearing their loved one’s name.  It was very moving to watch each family come forward to find the perfect place on the tree for their ornament.  They were young and old, whole families and individuals.  It really brought home the collective experience of those grieving, especially during the holidays. 

The ritual of this experience filled a void that we, perhaps, didn’t even know we had.  The realities of the pandemic and our inability to gather as a family took an emotional toll.  This service gave us an opportunity to honor Barbara and really brought home how much it meant for us to remember her.

As caregivers in the time of Covid, we recognize that you have stepped up in incredible ways.  Not only have you continued to provide care, but you have also been innovative in how you provide comfort and hope to those in need during these unprecedented times.  What creative alternatives have you found brought comfort during the pandemic?  What rituals have helped you and your families cope with the loss of a loved one during the holidays?  We would love to hear your ideas and share them with our community. 

We continue to be inspired by your innovation and commitment to serve.  Thank you for the important work you do. Happy holidays from the Hope Through Healing Team.  We wish you peace in 2022!