holiday depression...sorry is long

**onencgirl** · 10-22-2008, 08:11 PM

Is it just me or does anyone else get depressed around the holidays? I am single (widowed for many years) with 3 children grown. It seems I spent my 30's- 40's raising kids and now that they are grown and gone the holidays get me down. Most of them come for Christmas or Thanksgiving (share with in-laws). and while it's great to see them and the Grands I still feel an overwhelming dread of the holidays. My oldest ds and his fam. live some distance away and haven't been able to come in or about three years for holidays (tho they do come in summer for the beach). I get together with friends and have volunteered but still feel down. I guess being raised as an orphan, then having the responsibility of raising a young family alone has taken a toll on me. I just want to go to bed and cover my head til January.

**Jskell911** · 10-22-2008, 08:27 PM

Sounds exactly like my mom! I feel so bad when I see this hitting her every year. I wish I knew how to help her.

**Moor** · 10-22-2008, 08:32 PM

One thing I would suggest, is to have a open house.

My mom used to do this. When all of us kids were out of the house, it was just her and my grandmother. They were both widows. So they opened up the house to others in the community. Mostly other widows and widowers. They would have a time period for them to come over and they would have finger foods and just mingle with others.

That seemed to help a lot for them.

**MoonMommy** · 10-22-2008, 08:33 PM

Do you have any good friends that are in a similar situation either being a widow or due to divorce? Maybe you could get together and if you both can afford it, go on a mini vacation. If all goes well, you could do it every year. It doesn't have to be on the exact holiday, but you could do it near this time. It might help you to feel refreshed. And...the trip doesn't have to be FAR away...maybe to a city that is a few hours away. Make the trip dependent on how much money and time you have.