Grief and Easter: Remembering Loved Ones

Holidays and Special Days / Holidays and Special Days : Eleanor Haley



For further articles on these topics:


For me, Easter isn’t the first holiday that jumps to mind when discussing how hard grief can be on holidays or special days.  Yet, crawling out of winter - filled with dark and cold - into Easter and spring - filled with bunnies and baskets and pink - can be pretty jarring. The "most difficult holidays" are different for each of us and are dependent on our traditions, meanings, and memories.  Easter can be a tough one, especially with all the talk of spring, rebirth, and new life.  Others may be excited and you may be . . . well, not excited.

easter remembering basket

So what can you do, other than crawl under the covers and hide?  For all special days, there are two things we try to do every time – plan and find ways to remember.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Well, it may actually take a bit of work.  But it will hopefully make the day a little more bearable if you spend the time to get ready for it.

Let’s start with remembering.  The idea of remembering may seem painful, but sharing happy memories can actually fill a tiny bit of that empty space left by those we have lost.  Consider ways you can share memories together.  You can go around the table, put out photos or scrapbooks, or do whatever else feels right.  Not sure?  One idea we love for Easter is to create a “remembering basket”.  This is easy, great for kids and adults alike, and you probably already have all the supplies!


 What you need:

  1. a basket
  2. plastic Easter eggs
  3. paper
  4. markers
  5. stickers or other decorations (optional)


What you do:

Set up a small table with all the items.  Throughout the day encourage everyone who is comfortable to write down a memory, something they miss about the person or anything else on a piece of paper and place in an egg.  At an appropriate time, open the eggs and share all the memories.  Some people may not want their memories shared or added to the basket.  That is fine too.  Encourage them to write down a memory, place it in an egg, and keep it in their own Easter basket (or purse, whatever).  Keep in mind with activities like this that you never want to push people to do something they aren’t comfortable with.

Though the holiday is just a couple of days away, planning is still important.  Below are some suggestions to plan for the holiday:

1. Identify which individuals you will be spending the holidays with. Who will be present for events, traditions, and celebrations?

  • Make a list of the individuals you will be with.
  • Often times these individuals will be dealing with the same loss.
  • If you will be spending the holidays alone or with people far removed from your loss, grab a journal or a notebook and complete the plan on your own.

2. If you decide to involve family and friends in making a plan, talk in advance.

  • Call, email or talk in person, even if just the day before, to make a plan for the day.
  • Discuss any specific anxieties, things people want to do for the day, and things they don’t want to do.
  • Don’t overlook the children. Even the youngest family members need to have a chance to express feelings and concerns. It’s also important for children to feel heard.

3. Decide what to do about tradition

  • Identify the rituals and traditions that will be the hardest.
  • Allow each member of the group to discuss what will be hardest about these identified moments.
  • Brainstorm ways to make these elements of the holidays easier. In the end, you may decide to keep the event or tradition the same, change it, or skip it until next year.

4. Discuss roles and responsibilities

  • Your loved one may have held several roles and responsibilities during the holiday season.
  • Take a little time to make sure there aren’t any roles, big or small, that will need to be filled or changed (i.e. who will plan the holiday meal, who will dye Easter eggs, who will make Easter baskets?)
  • Some people may not feel comfortable stepping into their deceased loved one's shoes to fill these roles, respect their feeling and don’t push.
  • Make sure the roles and responsibilities don’t fall too heavily on one person.

5. Communicate with children affected by the loss

  • The holidays are hard for children because, although they are sad about the loss, they still may be excited for the same reasons we all were as children. Let them know they don’t need to feel guilty about enjoying themselves.
  • Ask them to let you know if they start to feel sad.
  • Make a special code word they can use if they need a break or some space.
  • Click here for posts about kids, teens, and grief.

6. If you haven’t already, take time to think about you and how you will take care of yourself.

  • Make a plan for how you will cope when things get really tough. Will you take a walk, journal, listen to music, get some space, exercise, etc.
  • Give yourself permission to cry.  This may be an especially tough day – there will probably be some tears and that’s okay.
  • Set aside time for decompression and self-care after the day.  It may be stressful.  Check out these 64 self-care tips for grievers.

8. Find ways to incorporate your loved one in the holidays. This is the best way to feel close to your loved one and fill their absence. You may want to find at least one or two ways to incorporate your loved one in each tradition and event that you identified as potentially being difficult.  If the remembering basket isn’t right for you, we have a list of 16 tips for continuing bonds with people we've lost This list was made for the “big” winter holidays that somehow seem to span from October to January, but plenty of them apply to Easter and grief too!

Want to keep up to date with all our creative and practical ideas for coping with loss? Of course, you do! Subscribe over on our sidebar and we’ll send you updates by email.

 

We wrote a book!

After writing online articles for What’s Your Grief
for over a decade, we finally wrote a tangible,
real-life book!

After writing online articles for What’s Your Grief for over a decade, we finally wrote a tangible, real-life book!

What’s Your Grief? Lists to Help you Through Any Loss is for people experiencing any type of loss. This book discusses some of the most common grief experiences and breaks down psychological concepts to help you understand your thoughts and emotions. It also shares useful coping tools, and helps the reader reflect on their unique relationship with grief and loss.

You can find What’s Your Grief? Lists to Help you Through Any Loss wherever you buy books:

Let’s be grief friends.

We post a new article to What’s Your Grief about once a week. Subscribe to stay up to date on all our posts.

Related Blog Posts

Related Blog Posts

See More

34 Comments on "Grief and Easter: Remembering Loved Ones"

Click here to leave a Comment
  1. Tracy  March 15, 2022 at 8:30 pm Reply

    I am in a relationship with a widow. His wife passed 3 months after my husband passed on April 19, 2009.
    My son of 33 years, passed on Easter Sunday 2017, heroin, opioids and fentanyl. I hate all holidays but especially Easter. I was never one for Christianity. I believe because I grew up in a southern Baptist church and all I knew was that I was going to hell for my sins. I have grown and believe in the science and evolution.
    I am so mad, and cry everyday over my sons death. I drink everyday to try to ease the heartache. There isn’t enough wine or liquor to deaden the heartbreak. I see a behavior heath person and it helps for a while but I cannot shake the pain. I know I deserve a life after and to be happy but I can’t bring myself to allow it. I have probably ruined the relationship that I am in because of my depression. I am medicated for genetic depression and anxiety meds throughout the day. I have never searched the web for grief counseling but when will I move forward at age 62 being so broken?

    2
  2. Remembering Emmi  April 1, 2021 at 5:30 pm Reply

    My childhood friend went missing in February 6 years ago. After months of uncertainty, regret and anger, it was confirmed on Easter Day that a body found in the river was hers. I had prepared some things for Easter but with that news, I just packed it all away and cursed the sky for telling me Spring and Easter meant new life.
    From then, I promised myself that I would always be away from home at Easter…and then 2020 came along.
    My partner’s parents are religious and make a big thing out of Easter. They made a comment that year that “this would be the strangest Easter we have ever known”. It cut deep into my grief. I still haven’t told them.

    1
  3. Robert  April 11, 2020 at 12:49 pm Reply

    I miss my best friend, Chris. He was the best friend I ever had, and he was everything to me. He suffered greatly in two months, and passed very tragically. He did not deserve it 🙁 He was only 52. I do not have any idea how to proceed in life w/o him. I really don’t. Nothing but pure agony, sadness and loss. I love you Chris and I know you are in a better place, but I miss you greatly and this loss is all consuming. God Bless all of you out there.

    1
  4. Adil Saleemi  April 17, 2019 at 2:42 pm Reply

    I lost my soulmate this will be my first Easter without him.im utterly heartbreakon and isolated feel like I can’t talk to no one it was very tragic I cry everyday words can never explain hiw much I miss my angel every second of the day Happy Heavenly Easter Darling it’s not bye it’s I’ll see you soon my angel xxxx

    1
    • Edward Vendetti  April 17, 2019 at 5:38 pm Reply

      Yes I know what you are going through. I lost the love of my life 02/12/19 so this will be my first Holiday. without him physically here. But I know he will be with me as your love will also be with you. Be strong my friend, know Jesus is holding you and I always ..

      1
  5. Karen Quandt  April 16, 2019 at 11:41 am Reply

    Easter is the first holiday that comes to mind for me when discussing how hard grief can be on holidays. The meaning of Easter is of Jesus victory over death and that suffering is not the final word, and the promise of eternal life for all who believe in him. By understanding Easter you can begin to understand grief and death, and suffering.

    1
  6. Erika Mejia  February 25, 2019 at 11:53 am Reply

    Very interesting thing to keep in mind. But unfortunately my mommy passed away on Easter of 2018 and I never want to celebrate it. Well at least that’s how I feel now. I’m 28 years old. I have 3 kids and I know it’s not fare. But they understand how difficult it is for me. I wish I could stop being selfish and just think of my kids too but I’m lost. She took a part of me I will never get back. I have guilt and its driving me to shut down from life. I’m practically dead too. I was 5 when we were taken away from her she suffered a lot when I turned 18 I reunited with my mom again. We were like best friends. I told her everything. And now she’s gone again but this time for ever. I hate this so unfair. She was only 51 and very painful death she did not deserve that at all. She died alone in the hospital i Will forever hate myself for it. I miss her. I still call her phone just to hear her voicemail. And I leave her messages. I’m not crazy I just want to tell her I’m sorry

    1
  7. Caitlin  July 5, 2018 at 6:24 pm Reply

    I lost my dads friends unfortunately passed away from a motorbike accident and he was only in his 20s and my dad and mum told me what had happen and me and mum went to the funeral and it was a upset day. I still cry because when it get to the 16 every month it actually makes it hard for me because I was only 14. It has been one year without him this April.

    1
  8. Janet  March 31, 2018 at 11:02 pm Reply

    Remenbering my mom & Dad @ Sweet sister this Easter .
    All my love & prayers go to then .

    1
  9. Janet  March 31, 2018 at 11:02 pm Reply

    Remenbering my mom & Dad @ Sweet sister this Easter .
    All my love & prayers go to then .

    1
  10. Louise  March 31, 2018 at 9:46 pm Reply

    Hello everyone.
    Thank you so much for sharing your stories and your feelings. I am so grateful to hear from others who are grieving. I am learning to feel ok about being sad and not allowing anyone to judge my emotions. I miss my mother and sister and ex-husband and son and daughter and daughter-in-law and grandson. Yes, there is a long story here. I spend so much time establishing ways to change my thoughts and move past my feelings of sorrow but during special holidays it doesn’t work and so I allow myself to grieve. Sometimes people don’t understand and I honestly don’t have the energy to help them. I do understand and I have to be respectful of the process I am going through. I was very encouraged to read these posts. Blessings to everyone.

    1
  11. Louise  March 31, 2018 at 9:46 pm Reply

    Hello everyone.
    Thank you so much for sharing your stories and your feelings. I am so grateful to hear from others who are grieving. I am learning to feel ok about being sad and not allowing anyone to judge my emotions. I miss my mother and sister and ex-husband and son and daughter and daughter-in-law and grandson. Yes, there is a long story here. I spend so much time establishing ways to change my thoughts and move past my feelings of sorrow but during special holidays it doesn’t work and so I allow myself to grieve. Sometimes people don’t understand and I honestly don’t have the energy to help them. I do understand and I have to be respectful of the process I am going through. I was very encouraged to read these posts. Blessings to everyone.

    1
  12. Rebecca  March 31, 2018 at 10:49 am Reply

    Thank you. Every day is hard but especially holidays with all the memories. And others are preoccupied so it’s lonely.

    1
  13. Rebecca  March 31, 2018 at 10:49 am Reply

    Thank you. Every day is hard but especially holidays with all the memories. And others are preoccupied so it’s lonely.

    1
  14. Sarah  March 28, 2018 at 4:05 pm Reply

    Thank you for this advice. My husband committed suicide on Easter Sunday in 2017 and all of the advice in this article is how I have faced every holiday and celebration this past year. His birthday was April 27th, then we had mother’s day, and Father’s Day which were our first as parents, our weddning anniversary, and our daughters first birthday all before Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It was a tough year but made a little easier each time because I made it a point to plan things for those days and surrounded myself with friends and family so we could make new memories. As Easter approaches I am glad to be reminded of this so that I can include other friends a family that are struggling with his death. Thank you for the reminder that I am not alone in this. Happy Easter everyone.

    1
  15. Sarah  March 28, 2018 at 4:05 pm Reply

    Thank you for this advice. My husband committed suicide on Easter Sunday in 2017 and all of the advice in this article is how I have faced every holiday and celebration this past year. His birthday was April 27th, then we had mother’s day, and Father’s Day which were our first as parents, our weddning anniversary, and our daughters first birthday all before Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It was a tough year but made a little easier each time because I made it a point to plan things for those days and surrounded myself with friends and family so we could make new memories. As Easter approaches I am glad to be reminded of this so that I can include other friends a family that are struggling with his death. Thank you for the reminder that I am not alone in this. Happy Easter everyone.

    1
  16. Kelly Marchbank  March 28, 2018 at 1:24 pm Reply

    We lost our 18 year old son in August from a motocross accident. His 195th birthday landed on Thanksgiving this past year. That was unbelievably hard. I had always cooked the family dinner. My parents decided they needed a change so travelled to another state to spend it with my brother. Other relatives made other plans as well. Everyone thought they were helping so I wouldn’t have to cook. So on that day we went and helped at our local Salvation Army delivering meals to shut ins. We even went to a certain 7-11 and picked up a homeless man (this was prearranged through Salvation Army) and have him a ride to the soup kitchen. We took him back acts he had eaten his fill. We told him our story. He told us his. As he was getting out of the car, he told us that he felt his homeless situation wasn’t as bad as what we were going through and he said her pray for us. That just blew us away. Later that day we had an open house and had a birthday cake made for our son. Some of his friends were home from college and stopped by just to celebrate our son and share memories. Earlier in the day we went to his grave and left balloons and sang Happy Birthday. It was so incredibly hard to have our family’s favorite holiday land on his birthday. But we found a way to honor him, help others, share memories and somehow get through the day.

    1
  17. Kelly Marchbank  March 28, 2018 at 1:24 pm Reply

    We lost our 18 year old son in August from a motocross accident. His 195th birthday landed on Thanksgiving this past year. That was unbelievably hard. I had always cooked the family dinner. My parents decided they needed a change so travelled to another state to spend it with my brother. Other relatives made other plans as well. Everyone thought they were helping so I wouldn’t have to cook. So on that day we went and helped at our local Salvation Army delivering meals to shut ins. We even went to a certain 7-11 and picked up a homeless man (this was prearranged through Salvation Army) and have him a ride to the soup kitchen. We took him back acts he had eaten his fill. We told him our story. He told us his. As he was getting out of the car, he told us that he felt his homeless situation wasn’t as bad as what we were going through and he said her pray for us. That just blew us away. Later that day we had an open house and had a birthday cake made for our son. Some of his friends were home from college and stopped by just to celebrate our son and share memories. Earlier in the day we went to his grave and left balloons and sang Happy Birthday. It was so incredibly hard to have our family’s favorite holiday land on his birthday. But we found a way to honor him, help others, share memories and somehow get through the day.

    1
  18. Susan Wehrle  March 28, 2018 at 11:45 am Reply

    I want to start by saying how sorry I am for all of your losses. I lost my son, Mikey, forever 18, in an accident on March 27, 2016, which was Easter Sunday. This year, Easter falls on April 1, which is my daughter’s birthday and the date of Mikey’s funeral and burial. I also lost another son, Tommy, who was stillborn at 39 weeks on February 25, 1994.

    1
  19. Susan Wehrle  March 28, 2018 at 11:45 am Reply

    I want to start by saying how sorry I am for all of your losses. I lost my son, Mikey, forever 18, in an accident on March 27, 2016, which was Easter Sunday. This year, Easter falls on April 1, which is my daughter’s birthday and the date of Mikey’s funeral and burial. I also lost another son, Tommy, who was stillborn at 39 weeks on February 25, 1994.

    1
  20. DonnaMarie  March 18, 2018 at 11:39 pm Reply

    Yes Alysssa, I am only child also and lost both my parents. My mother was taken away from me on August 10, 2014. I lived with her my entire life for 49 years she did not make it to my 50th birthday. I have family but they are very selfish it seems none of them have the “decentsy to call me or invite me on holidays. I cry on the holiday and Mother’s day is a horror for me. I have been so upset and my family is a major disappointment. Especially when my mother point them first and now I see they do nothing in return; my mother would be quite angry with them if she was here now to see this. She was worried for me before she passed asking my aunt to please make sure that I am okay and instead my aunt never speaks to me or asks me how I am. I think my mother would be very unhappy to know this that her own family is “alienating her only child” …me. It has been very hard to see their true colors come out after her death; they are not true disciples of God as Catholics.

    1
  21. DonnaMarie  March 18, 2018 at 11:39 pm Reply

    Yes Alysssa, I am only child also and lost both my parents. My mother was taken away from me on August 10, 2014. I lived with her my entire life for 49 years she did not make it to my 50th birthday. I have family but they are very selfish it seems none of them have the “decentsy to call me or invite me on holidays. I cry on the holiday and Mother’s day is a horror for me. I have been so upset and my family is a major disappointment. Especially when my mother point them first and now I see they do nothing in return; my mother would be quite angry with them if she was here now to see this. She was worried for me before she passed asking my aunt to please make sure that I am okay and instead my aunt never speaks to me or asks me how I am. I think my mother would be very unhappy to know this that her own family is “alienating her only child” …me. It has been very hard to see their true colors come out after her death; they are not true disciples of God as Catholics.

    1
  22. Alyssa B  March 8, 2018 at 3:06 pm Reply

    This year Easter falls one the 1 year anniversary of my mom’s death. She died April 1 2017 from complications of pneumonia at 55 20 days before her 56th birthday. It has been hard since we were very close. She was a single mom and I am the only child and now I am a single mom with a little girl. My daughter is heartbroken that her grandma is gone. Then my father died Jan 3rd of this year a month before his 60th birthday. I was upset with him and didn’t talk to him much after mom died. I did get a chance to speak to him before he died but I still have guilt for being so distant in his last months. We were not close he was a voice over the phone but it still hurts to have no living parents.

    1
  23. Alyssa B  March 8, 2018 at 3:06 pm Reply

    This year Easter falls one the 1 year anniversary of my mom’s death. She died April 1 2017 from complications of pneumonia at 55 20 days before her 56th birthday. It has been hard since we were very close. She was a single mom and I am the only child and now I am a single mom with a little girl. My daughter is heartbroken that her grandma is gone. Then my father died Jan 3rd of this year a month before his 60th birthday. I was upset with him and didn’t talk to him much after mom died. I did get a chance to speak to him before he died but I still have guilt for being so distant in his last months. We were not close he was a voice over the phone but it still hurts to have no living parents.

    1
  24. Vicki Bee  March 29, 2016 at 3:47 pm Reply

    We didn’t hide. We honored someone named Sgt. Lowell Ferguson bc his birthday was on Easter Sunday this year. He was with my daughter’s godfather, Richard, in Vietnam. That’s Bien Hoa in the photo, their nonmoving post when they were in Bin Dinh Province.
    Sgt. Ferguson is the one on the left. Sgt. Blanton is on the right and they both died on the same day in the same way except it took Sgt. Ferguson longer to succumb to his wounds. Sgt. Blanton, the really good-looking one, was killed outright. I don’t know either of them but I feel like I do a little, especially Sgt. Blanton bc we visited his final resting place on Veteran’s Day, 2015. Sgt. Ferguson is too far away to visit; he lived in Florida.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1195624127132695&set=picfp.100000553578050.1157407800954328&type=3&theater

    1
  25. LissNice  March 27, 2016 at 9:10 am Reply

    I lost my sweet nephew this past Halloween in a car accident..#DevoStrong…one of sweetest kindess well mannered young man you’ll ever meet…I struggle Everyday SINCE his passing…the whole in my heart feels U repairable ???I know he is in a better place…just hurts/stings so every holiday hurts…luv u nephew Aunty will honor you all the days of my life

    1
  26. Jane  March 24, 2016 at 5:26 pm Reply

    Our son loved chocolate and Easter was a chocolate time… miss you Joel x

    1
  27. Joyce  March 22, 2016 at 2:56 pm Reply

    My oldest son passed away March 9. It is the most difficult hardest thing I think I’ve ever dealt with. He always loved this time of year too.

    1
  28. Catherine Weber  March 21, 2016 at 10:20 am Reply

    Easter this year is the first anniversary of my son’s death. I like that Easter egg idea.

    1
  29. Lisa  April 2, 2015 at 10:54 am Reply

    Remembering any holiday is painful. I don’t let myself go there, ever. I live with the grief that keeps on giving, traumatic brain injury. It stole my son’s future from him and mine too.

    1
  30. debbie  April 1, 2015 at 9:53 pm Reply

    My Son was Born on Easter that year. 3/26/1978 – 2/26/2008.
    I have a candle holder & I found egg shaped candles that i arrange them on and put it in the glass cabinet that i have just for him.

    1
  31. Brenda Huskey  April 1, 2015 at 1:28 pm Reply

    Lost my daughter 18 years ago. I have tears flowing every holiday, her birthday, Easter. Sometimes it’s just a memory. But I try to keep busy. I put a fresh silk arrangement on her gravest before Easter. Spending day with 2nd husband going to church. Then visiting my mom! My daughter was the best. But I was told God takes the best. For her needs are more important with God now than on earth. Love her always!

    1
  32. earlene  March 31, 2015 at 4:36 pm Reply

    My oldest daughter died April 5th 2010, Now this year Easter falls on that date. I don’t like it

    1
  33. Kathryn Dilligard  April 19, 2014 at 9:33 am Reply

    This Easter, I’m remembering my deceased loved ones and friends. May they find peace wherever they are.

    1

Leave a Comment

YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.