It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is right around the corner and a new year is about to begin, bringing a fresh, clean slate with it. This time of year can be both exciting and hectic with so many things on your social calendar. From planning a Thanksgiving dinner menu to attending Christmas parties at the kids’ school, it’s usually a busy time of year for most people.
If you’re going through a divorce or are recently divorced, you’re probably wondering how your first holidays as a divorcee will go. This time of year can be a strange transition filled with many emotions as you navigate and adjust to your new status and life. Though the first holidays without your former spouse can feel odd, they can and should still be enjoyable. Keep reading for some tips for spending your first holidays as a divorcee to help you adjust a little easier.
Don’t spend the holidays alone
Recent divorcees tend to feel several different emotions following their divorce. A combination of happiness, sadness, relief, and anger are the most common emotions felt when a divorce is final. Dealing with these emotions can feel overwhelming at times, especially when it’s almost the holiday season.
Understandably, most divorcees will experience moments of sadness as they adjust to their new lives. That first year as a divorcee brings a host of new challenges, some good and some bad. It can be quite a shock as you adjust to living without your spouse and coordinating childrens’ schedules. Planning the first holiday season without a spouse can make some feel sad, especially if children are involved.
To help combat some of the sadness, avoid spending the holidays alone. No one should spend the holidays alone, especially divorcees. Surround yourself with loved ones during the holiday season to keep your spirits merry and bright. Being around family, friends, co-workers, or neighbors will distract you and fill a void that the first holidays can bring.
Plan in advance
Whether you got divorced earlier this year or as recent as this month, you should plan for the holidays in advance. As we all know, the holidays sneak up on us quickly each year. Before you know it, you’ll be filling your plate with turkey and pumpkin pie and wrapping gifts.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed with social events during the holiday season, be sure to plan them early. If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year or if you’re attending Christmas at your friend’s this year, start planning now. Having your holiday schedule planned will not only take a load off your plate but will give you something to look forward to as you deal with your first holidays as a divorcee.
If you share children with your former spouse then you’ll need to plan early. Coordinating childrens’ schedules can be hard enough with extracurricular activities and appointments. Plan the holidays with your former spouse now to avoid a headache as November and December approach.
Create new traditions
For years you spent the holidays with your former spouse and in-laws. When you marry into a family, you usually feel pressure to conform to their family traditions and adopt them as your own. To help you adjust to life as a divorcee, drop those old traditions and create new ones.
It can be exciting to create new traditions! New traditions can include simple things like watching movies on Christmas Eve, baking fresh cookies as a family, or adding a new menu item to your holiday feast. Traditions can also include planning to travel each holiday season or volunteering at a local shelter. New traditions bring happiness and can help you cope with missing your former spouse during the holiday season. If you have children, be sure to get them involved in new traditions too – it can help them adjust a little easier.
The first holiday season as a divorcee can be daunting or exciting or a combination of both. Whether you feel excited or overwhelmed, incorporating the tips above will help you adjust to your new life. Surrounding yourself with loved ones, planning early, and creating new traditions will help you feel a little more joyous as you approach your first holiday without your former spouse.
Planning a holiday schedule with a difficult former spouse can be challenging. If you’re looking for a family law attorney or a child custody attorney in Kansas City or Lee’s Summit, contact The Kuhl Law Firm, LLC. Our family law attorneys can help you establish a parenting plan to make planning for the holidays a little easier.
With over fifty-three years of combined legal experience, our family law firm is comprised of a team that’s skilled in both negotiation and litigation, handling family law matters from the most complex to the most straightforward.
We have offices in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and Leawood, Kansas (consultations by appointment only). In addition to our two physical locations, our firm’s family and divorce attorneys have practiced in Jackson, Clay, Cass, Lafayette, and Platte County, Missouri as well as Johnson County, Kansas.
All of us at The Kuhl Law Firm, LLC wish you a very happy holiday season!