5 Ways to Support a Grieving Friend During the Holidays

All of us are grieving, but for some people in our lives the grief is fresh and raw. And sometimes the grief is hidden and small. Either way, we can all support each other, love each other, and show up for each other during this holiday season. Read below my friend Hope’s words on helping that friend who is struggling….and then take action! Let us know in the comments if you are committed to do one thing Hope shares about.

Woman sits with a blanket on her lap holding a candle in an amber container. Text reads: 5 ways to support a grieving friend

The holiday season is the most wonderful, exciting time of the year for many people. But for someone who is grieving, the holidays can feel heavy, complicated, and even lonely. This is especially true if it’s the first holiday season without the loved one who has died. Traditions look different when there is an empty seat at the table.

If you love someone who is grieving this holiday season, you may want to help but are not sure how to do so. You might worry about saying or doing the wrong thing. Here are five simple and meaningful ways to support a grieving friend during the holidays.

A photo of a heart shaped ornament on a Christmas tree with a text overlay: How to help a grieving friend

5 Ways to Support a Grieving Friend During the Holidays

1. Acknowledge the loss

One of the most loving things you can do is say their loved one’s name and acknowledge their absence. Don’t worry about bringing the loss to the surface. Your grieving friend is already thinking about it and silence surrounding her grief can feel deafening. You don’t need the perfect words. You can simply say, “I know this season must be especially hard. I’m thinking of you.” Acknowledging the loss reminds your friend they are not carrying their grief alone.

2. Listen more than you speak

Grief doesn’t need to be fixed. It needs to be witnessed. Resist the urge to explain or offer spiritual answers and cliches. Offer your presence instead. Let your friend share memories, tears, anger, or even silence. Sometimes the greatest gift you can give is a listening ear and the reassurance that whatever they’re feeling is valid.

3. Give permission to say no or to leave early

The holidays bring invitations, expectations, and social pressure. For someone who is grieving, gatherings they once loved can feel overwhelming. Let your friend know it’s okay to decline an invitation, change plans at the last minute, or leave early if they need to. Removing the pressure to participate is a gentle, but powerful way to offer care.

watercolor images of ways to offer support when someone is grieving at the holidays

4. Purchase a gift in memory of their loved one

A thoughtful way to honor their grief is to give a gift that remembers the person who died. This could be a donation made in their name, a personalized ornament, a candle lit in their honor, or something meaningful connected to their story. This is a gesture that will not be forgotten.

5. Offer specific help

Instead of saying, “Let me know if you need anything,” try offering something tangible. Grief has a way of draining energy, making it hard to ask for help. Even when help is needed, it can be hard for those who are grieving to ask for it. Offer to drop off a meal or pick up groceries for your friend. Specific offers will make it easier for your friend to say yes and receive support.

two friends hug each other while sitting on a bed. Text overlay is a quote about friendship and supporting friends in grief

Being present for a grieving friend during the holidays doesn’t require perfection. All it takes is presence, patience, and a willingness to sit with them in the hard places. Your gentle support can make this season feel a little less lonely.

Hope H. Dover is a writer, speaker, and grief coach who walks alongside women carrying grief, especially those who have experienced pregnancy loss. Through her work, she helps women discover that sorrow and joy can coexist and that life after loss can still be lived abundantly. She is the founder of Joyful Hope Co., a faith-centered space offering resources, coaching, and encouragement for women learning to hold both joy and sorrow. Her book, Seeking Hope, Finding Joy: Living Abundantly After Pregnancy Loss, reflects her core message that you don’t have to choose between joy and sorrow. You can hold both.

Rooted in faith, empathy, and her own journey through loss, Hope creates gentle, safe spaces for healing through intentional steps. She offers one-on-one and group coaching designed to help women feel seen, supported, and strengthened as they move forward after loss.

Connect with Hope here:

Website hopehdover.com – joyfulhopeco.com

Instagram instagram.com/hopehdover – instagram.com/joyfulhopeco