Four Ways to Honour and Celebrate Your Loved One This Valentine’s Day
On this day, and every day, you are not alone. If you are interested in receiving grief support, please note that we are here for you.
Recognizing that Valentine's Day could be challenging for those experiencing grief, we compiled four of our favourite ways to honour and celebrate our loved ones. Feel free to modify them or use them as inspiration to create your own tradition.
1: Write Your Loved One a Letter
Letter writing is one of many ways we can honour the depth of our pain, our loved one’s life, their impact on us, and our resilience in coping with the absence of their physical presence.
In a letter to them, you can share...
How it feels to write this letter,
What you miss most about them,
What has been going on in your life or the world
Anything else you feel compelled to write.
Writing this letter can become a yearly tradition or a habit for legacy building; either way, it is an excellent way to honour the life, the love and the impact of your loved one.
2: Enjoy Your Loved One’s Favourite Meal
If your loved one had a favourite dish or meal, make it in their memory. While you’re making it, try to reminisce about the times you made or shared this particular meal together. If you feel compelled, consider plating a ceremonial portion for your loved one.
3: Light a Candle in Reflection of Their Love
Whether at home, at their favourite place or at a house of worship, light a candle in memory of your loved one. While it burns, you might reflect on a special memory or say a prayer for them—whatever feels right for you. Remember that although they are not with you physically, they are always in your heart.
4: Listen, Watch or Read Something They Enjoyed
Continuing to find entertainment in music, film, or creative arts that your loved one enjoyed is a great way to keep their memory alive. Maybe you’ll recognize a lyric or a line that makes you consider a different memory of them altogether or that made you both laugh. Perhaps you can rewatch their favourite film and enjoy some popcorn. If they loved to read, grab a novel you know they were fond of and bookmark passages that remind you of them.
These four ways to honour and celebrate your loved ones this Valentine’s Day are only a few examples of showing love.
At Coast Hospice, we have a variety of workshops, grief groups, and art sessions that honour and celebrate love. If you would like to learn more about these programs, don't hesitate to get in touch with us below.