Your First Christmas After Divorce May Be Your Best

Are you facing your first post-divorce Christmas?

While it may seem like your split has taken the joy out of the holidays, this doesn’t have to be the case. You may find that this new arrangement highlights what’s most important about Christmas.

Why This Might Be Your Best Christmas

1. A more relaxed holiday season

Now that you don’t have to split your time between your family and your ex’s, you may find Christmas less stressful. While you may feel a little lonely at times, you’ll also have more time for catching up with friends and family. You also have the chance to take some time to decompress on your own (reading a book, catching up on your favourite show, ordering in).

2. Fewer gifts to buy

Gift-buying can be exhausting, frustrating, and expensive. You now have fewer gifts to purchase, meaning less money leaving your bank account and more time to select the perfect present for your loved ones.

How to Make this a Good Holiday

If you aren’t yet convinced, here are a few tips for making this Christmas a good one.

1. If you’re feeling vulnerable, surround yourself with the people who support you.

Doing this will remind you that you still have a lot of love in your life. Spending time with the people who support you will also hopefully remind you of how awesome you are and distract you from some of the negative emotions that may surface.

2. Make a plan

Huffington Post places this at the top of their list of ways to survive this first Christmas. As a newly divorced person, everything can feel uncertain and unsteady.

If you plan ahead with family and friends, you’ll have a safety net for when you’re scared about how you are going to handle things. Having some idea of what to expect can provide a sense of security. Planning your holiday can also ensure that you won’t spend the whole time thinking about what you’ve lost and encourage you to do things that make you feel better about yourself and your life.

3. Don’t be afraid to change things up

Part of your planning could be to actively seek change. If the usual Christmas schedule doesn’t really work for you, consider doing something more your speed. If you have no local responsibilities and want to go on vacation over the holidays, do it!

You could also do something less drastic, like examining your holiday traditions and seeing if they are still relevant to you. While this may bring up some sadness, it may also be a good opportunity to reinvigorate your Christmas spirit!

4. Consider what would make you happy and do it

Give yourself a gift this Christmas. Whether it’s that vacation, a new look, or permission to take it easy for a bit, use this time to your advantage. Focusing on your own satisfaction will help make this time one of healing and growth (it could also be fun!).

Legal Support

If you’re looking for legal assistance to get you through your divorce, consider Fine & Associates.

Fine & Associates Professional Corporation is a well-respected Toronto Law Firm that prides itself on providing quality personal service and favourable outcomes in Family Law and Divorce Law.

You can click here to contact us, or fill out the form on the right free private phone consultation, or call us at the phone number at the top of the page.