Many well known faces sadly lost loved ones this year and now face their first without that person.’s Kate Garraway lost her huband Derek Draper who died in January.
star Gloria Hunniford’s husband Stephen Way died in August. n star ‘s father Lord Charles Hindlip, 83, died in June at his home surrounded by family.
More recently in November stage and screen star Timothy West died leaving behind his Fawlty Towers star wife Prunella Scales who is said to be to ill to know he has died. This undoubtedly adds pressure to the couples two sons and daughter.
While all their circumstances may be different their feeling of loss unifies them as they navigate this family focused happy season. Andy Langford, the Clinical Director of admits they get a lot of calls from people who have lost a parent this time of year.
Speaking exclusively to he acknowledged everyone’s situation will be differentbut in all cases he recommends talking about the person you have lost rather than making them an elehant in the room over the holiday season.
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Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper died in January this year (Image: Getty)
“I mean, essentially it’s often talking with people about about what the impact of losing that person has been, and for each person it is going to be uniquely different.
“There’s the raw emotion of it for that first Christmas without the person they love.
“For many it’ll be like, ‘well, actually, we’ve always done Christmas like this, but now we can’t do it like that. We’re gonna have to find a different way’,” he said
“What we tend to advise of people really is to first take a step back, if possible, with those that are close to them, who they trust, who they love, who who care for them and they care for and think about what is it they, and their close people next to them, need to get through this Christmas season?
“So it’s not it’s not assuming that it’s going to be the same as it was before, because it clearly won’t be.
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Kirsty Allsopp’s father died in June this year (Image: Getty)
“But actually, is it that it will be helpful for them to feel like they can immerse themselves in Christmas and have a bit of a distraction and enjoy what they can or is it that they want to do something completely different – a different Christmas routine, or or even do something that isn’t Christmas related, and just just get away from it all.
“It’s possible for others, it will be about trying to construct a routine around Christmas that includes remembering the person who’s died and finding ways of doing that.
“Really sort of trying to get to a place of thinking, ‘well, the person is no longer with us in body, but actually we remember them, and we love them still, and they’re still a treasured part of our hearts’,” he reflected.
have advice for dealing with the first Christmas without a loved one on thier website. Their helplines will also be open throughout the holiday season.