Sponsored content provided by Northwest Colorado Health.

The year 2020 has been a hard year in many ways. It may be even more difficult as we move through the holiday season. The loss of holiday traditions and the reality that families will not be able to gather may leave a great void or emptiness. And if you have lost a loved one, this year grief and loss are compounded by the prevailing Covid Season and its safety precautions.

This holiday season take some time to focus on keeping your mind and body uplifted during this stressful time. There are simple ways to get creative and take care of yourself.

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• Create a personalized wreath or center piece. Using items that you can find around your house, you can easily put together a personalized centerpiece that celebrates happy memories or a loved one that you have lost. Collect items that bring you joy such as photographs, children’s paintings, pinecones or rocks, and put them together in a jar or container. 

• Write a December Activity List and create a month of daily holiday activities for yourself or your family to do together or virtually. These can be simple – build a snowman, bake cookies, decorate cards for neighbors. Focus on one small act each day to lift your mood and help you enjoy the holiday season. You can write them out on small pieces of paper and add them to your centerpiece. Place them into a jar and pull one out each day for a new activity. If you are doing this with family members virtually, take pictures or video during each activity and share them with each other.

• Relieve stress with a simple daily meditation. Take a few minutes to practice deep breathing, or reflect on what you are grateful for. One simple way to do this is to take a deep breath and open your arms out to your sides as you inhale, then slowly bring them back together while you exhale. If you are feeling anxious, or rushing around preparing for the holidays this is a quick reprieve and way to re-center and relax.

If you are looking for additional ways to connect with others this season, each year Northwest Colorado Health’s Hospice program plans special events to bring light into otherwise dark places. This year, these events will be available virtually. They are free and open to community members of all ages. These events are designed to assist you with feeling more connected and supported during the holiday season.

• December 6 –Getting Ready for the Holidays Zoom Workshop – 4:00-5:00 PM
  This workshop will provide fun holiday crafts and creative ideas to keep our minds and bodies uplifted during the holiday season.
• December 9 – Celebration of Light – 5:30 PM Live Stream 
  Celebrate the holidays while honoring the memories of loved ones. Materials will be available to create Love & Light Lanterns at home, generously provided by The Solstice Collective.
• December 21 – Blue Christmas Service – 5:30-6:30 PM. Live Stream or in person with reservationsvia St. Paul’s Episcopal website at steamboatstpauls.org. 
  This service is to support individuals who are grieving or feeling down this holiday season.

Northwest Colorado Health also offers virtual Community Grief Support groups; individual grief counseling is also available to help you establish a Bereavement Care Plan. For more information about upcoming support groups, contact Dr. Jo Anne Grace in Steamboat Springs, 970-846-8319 and Sandy Beran in Craig, 970-871-7682. To learn more about the upcoming Holiday Events including Zoom info, please visit northwestcoloradohealth.org/events.