Going through the holidays when divorced can be a challenge. For most divorced families this time can be especially challenging. Making arrangements during the holidays is different for each family, however, it’s usually the norm for the holidays to be divided between the two parents.

Whether this means alternating holidays, or sharing the actual day of the holiday. While it might be difficult for you or your children to spend holidays apart from each other, there are many things you can do to try to make this process easier for everyone involved.

How can a divorced person cope with holiday stress?

Navigating the holidays as a divorced individual can be a challenging experience. The holiday season is typically associated with spending time with loved ones and creating special memories.

But for those who have gone through a divorce, the holidays can evoke feelings of loneliness, sadness, and stress. However, it is important to remember that the holiday season can still be a joyful time, even after a divorce.

One of the key ways to cope with holiday stress as a divorced individual is to focus on self-care. This can include taking time for yourself, engaging in activities you enjoy, and setting realistic expectations for the holiday season.

It is also important to seek support from friends, family, or a therapist. They can provide a listening ear and offer encouragement and advice as you navigate this difficult time.

The Emotional Rollercoaster: Coping with Holidays Post-Divorce

Another way to handle the holidays after a divorce is to create new holiday traditions. This can involve spending time with loved ones in new and creative ways, such as volunteering at a local charity or hosting a holiday gathering with friends.

This can help to create new and positive memories and give a sense of purpose during the holiday season.

For those who have children, it is important to focus on their needs during the holidays. This can involve making sure that they have a positive and stable holiday experience, regardless of the circumstances of the divorce.

This may involve sharing holiday responsibilities with an ex-spouse or making arrangements for holiday visits.

Creating New Traditions: Celebrating Holidays Solo or with Loved Ones

It is important to remember that the holidays are just a temporary time and that the feelings and emotions associated with them will pass. It may take some time and effort, but with the right support and perspective, the holiday season can still be a time of joy and celebration, even after a divorce.

The holidays can be challenging, but it is possible to make the experience a positive one. By focusing on self-care, creating new holiday traditions, and putting the needs of your children first, you can make the holidays a time of joy and celebration, even after a divorce.

What are some tips for spending holidays after a divorce?

Take a journey and create new memories in a different location. Indulge in new cultural experiences, visit iconic landmarks, and discover new destinations. Below are some other ideas:

Volunteering: Give back to the community by volunteering at a local non-profit organization or charity. It’s a great way to make a positive impact on others and bring joy to the holiday season.

Friendship and Fellowship: Spend time with close friends, either by hosting a festive holiday gathering or spending the holidays with a supportive group of friends. Strengthen your relationships and create new memories.

Solo Celebration: Embrace the freedom of solo living and do what brings you happiness, such as a yoga retreat, spa day, or a solo adventure. Treat yourself and indulge in self-care.

Co-Parenting and Holiday Schedules: Tips for Smooth Transitions

Pursuing Passion: Try a new hobby that is both creative and challenging, such as cooking, painting, or photography. Turn it into a holiday tradition and learn a new skill.

Outdoor Excursions: Get back to nature and explore the great outdoors by going on a camping trip, hike, or ski vacation. Reconnect with the environment and experience the beauty of nature.

Reigniting Traditions: Revisit childhood holiday traditions or try something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time for. Revisiting old traditions can bring comfort and joy to the holiday season.

Focusing on Loved Ones: Spend quality time with family and friends, or volunteer and help those in need. Prioritizing loved ones can bring happiness and joy to the holiday season. If this isn’t possible this year, then start planning for the next holiday, maybe someone’s birthday.

Create time for you

This holiday season,  it is more important than ever to create time for you and your loved ones. One needs to be present; make memories; to participate. The importance of home-life balance has been brought to the forefront in recent years, specifically as it applies to the law profession.

According to a U.S. study by researcher Patrick Krill, lawyers have a rate of depression three times higher than the general population. Because these findings are directly linked to a profession rather than a nationality, Krill is certain the Canadian results would be the same.

If you’re going through a divorce during the holidays there are ways to ease this difficult time. 

Most people feel intimidated by the idea of finding a lawyer, so finding an innovative law firm might make things easier for everyone involved. The virtual office brings savings that can be passed along to the client. The lawyers explain the options to their clients and make it possible to keep their costs down.

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This keeps both the professionals and their clientele at ease. People who need a family lawyer often are upset, even distraught. It is much less intimidating to arrive at a home office than a big trendy office downtown where parking is difficult and expensive.

ClearWay Law CEO Alistair Vigier says, “We are changing the way law firms operate, and it benefits everyone.”

If a case does need to go to court, the client can opt to represent himself and use the lawyer’s expertise for coaching rather than representation. The savings for them are enormous. “

The clientele is made to feel they have options and is led through a discovery process that leaves them ready to move on to the next stage of life,” says Vigier.

Reduce Stress During The Holidays

Spending more time at home reduces the stress of the commute, and the tension of a strict timetable, and virtually eliminates the need for transition time between work and home life. If you’re a parent, this will also allow you to spend more time with your children.

Parents are likely to feel better when they have time with their kids, and it’s good for the children to share their school stories right after school rather than at a dinner happening hours later if indeed it happens with the whole family at all. This will also allow the family to bond and create pleasant memories during a hard time. 

Financial Planning: Managing Holiday Expenses after a Split

According to sociologist Kei Nomaguchi, there is emotional contagion. Whatever you are feeling will be passed on. An exhausted, frustrated parent can transfer those feelings to the kids. Parents can actually have a negative impact on their children while in a stressed state.

A good family lawyer will assist the estranged couple with communication and help bring them to a suitable agreement. 

In the comfort of a home office, this will feel more like help from a professional counsellor than an all-business, a you-against-me appointment with a lawyer.  

Life During The Holidays

A 2017 report by the Conference Board of Canada showed the damage of mental stress. Lost productivity caused by depression and anxiety costs the Canadian economy almost $50 billion a year. When Statistics Canada asked people about their greatest unmet needs for mental health care, counselling and therapy topped the list.

The Canadian Law Society now offers assistance in a number of different ways. They help those who struggle with mental health or addiction.

Counselling is within easy reach. If you’d just like to speak with another lawyer about the challenges you face, that option is available.

Life during the holidays can be hard. Take time for your life this holiday season. It’s important.

Managing Divorce and Children During the Holidays

Are you managing divorce and children during the holidays? Most newly separated or divorced couples wait until just before Christmas to decide who the child should spend the holiday with.

Things can get busy in December with people taking holidays and time off work. It is best to pre-plan to avoid any last-minute stress. Like mentioned before, you could decide to alternate holidays or share the day instead.

If you got divorced and have children, then you will always have your ex-spouse in your life. They will always be a parent to your children. You need to work together to arrange access times, deal with issues with the child, and go to parent/teacher nights.

When the child gets married, graduates or has a child of their own, you and your spouse both will likely be there.

Building a Support Network: Connecting with Others during the Holidays

You will always have a shared life with your ex-spouse. However, you can make decisions based on the best interests of the child. The child’s needs and wants should almost always be the priority of the parents.

Family law courts almost always care more about the child than the parents.

Here are some things to consider according to what the law says regarding the best interests of a child:

• Ensure the greatest possible protection of the child’s physical, psychological and emotional safety
• Consider the child’s physical, psychological and emotional needs, including the child’s need for stability
• Be aware of any family violence, including its impact on the safety of the child and other family and household members
• The parents must communicate and cooperate on issues affecting the child

Life During The Holidays- Managing Divorce

As we discussed in this article, the holidays are often a hard time for people with broken families. Often parents want their child to have a “magical” Christmas, with snow falling outside a warm fire, a happy family and lots of gifts under the tree. 

When the child is split between two houses, this dream is often a fantasy. There are many ways we can make the holiday season as easy as possible for everyone involved by planning ahead.

If you have questions about managing divorce and children during the holidays or planning child access, speak to a lawyer.

Try and have the best holidays possible!