How do you cope with the holidays after having lost a loved one?

When I lost my infant son, I found it hard to be in the holiday spirit for quite some time. The only things that kept me going was the fact that I had another child to think about, and I had the support of my family and a few close friends. They allowed me to grieve, yet nugded me in a direction that helped me be less depressed and more thankful for the people I still had around me each day. My family and I visited my son's grave to honor him and also to help me feel as if he was still a part of the holiday even though he was not there, in my arms, then, we went about our normal holiday traditions. Just being with my family anf friends and having that sense of normalcy helped me get through it all. It has been ten years now, and I am finally getting to a point to where I begin the normal holiday traditions without having to be nudged. Losing a loved one is never easy, and the holidays and birthdays that come sting a bit because we miss those that are no longer sitting across the room, or nestled in our arms. For me, the key is to honor my son each holiday, even if it is only by silently telling him Happy Birthday, Happy Thanksgiving, or whatever. Once I acknowledge him in some way, I am able to look at my family and friends and celebrate the holidays with a real smile on my face, and truly enjoying the day. Don't get me wrong, once the celebration is over, and I am all alone, I still shed tears for my baby. I shed tears because as the years pass, I still miss him. Having a supportive family and friends who listen when I need them to really helps too. Just allow the person to grieve, but try to give them the feeling of normalicy. Let them know that you are there for them, not only to listen and be a friend, but to celebrate the holidays. If they need to cry, let them, if they feel the need to talk,let them. let the person grieve, but show them that life still exists.that is the very best advice I can give from being there myself.