Divorce Around the Holidays
The holiday season is a time to be thankful for all we have, celebrate with friends and family, exchange gifts, and ring in the New Year with a renewed hope. If you’re recently divorced or separated, you probably want to hop on a plane and wait out the holidays alone in a faraway paradise. Every cloud has a silver lining, though, and there are ways to find joy and comfort in the small things this holiday season. Below, you’ll find a few ideas to help you get through the aftermath of a divorce around the holidays.
Give Yourself Some Space
Be honest with yourself and others about your emotional state. Take time to process your feelings; journal every day, go for long walks, and if you need to, seek professional help. There’s no shame in taking time to focus on you. If you’re not feeling up to certain festivities, such as office holiday parties or big family meals, don’t force yourself to attend. Instead, do something fun that makes you happy, be it baking cookies or binging your favorite shows.
Lean on Those You Trust
Supportive people don’t invalidate your feelings — and after a divorce, these are exactly the types of people you should surround yourself with. If being around friends and family puts you at ease, use the holidays as an opportunity to reconnect and get closer to them. Chances are, there’s someone in your circle who can relate to what you’re going through, and may have a few words of advice or wisdom to share.
Create a New Holiday Tradition
After getting divorced, it may be too painful to continue the Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions you had as a family. If you have kids, or even if you’re on your own for the holidays, consider this a fresh start. Create new holiday traditions you’ll enjoy year after year, whether that’s making hot chocolate and decorating the tree, browsing the local winter market, or going for a drive and admiring the light displays.
Give Back to Your Community
One of the easiest ways to feel better about yourself is to do something nice for someone else. The holiday season is the season of giving, after all. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, donate gifts to children in need, donate food to a holiday food drive, or volunteer your time at a homeless shelter. There’s no shortage of ways you can help make a difference in the lives of others this year.
Turn to Conniff & Keleher, LLC for Family Legal Support
As a family law firm in Chicago and Oak Park, the team at Conniff & Keleher, LLC knows how difficult a divorce around the holidays can be. We’re here to provide expert legal guidance and compassionate support, whether the divorce is litigated or quick and free from unnecessary strife. If you’re considering taking the first steps toward divorce, contact us to schedule a consultation at one of our offices in Chicago or Oak Park.
