Grief Is Love That Has Nowhere To Go: The Stigma of Death at Christmas

Nicky Elkington is a hairdresser, Kylie Minogue fan since she was 7 years old, cat enthusiast, cancer survivor, and a cold-cap ambassador. When Nicky was 15 years old, her world was turned upside down when her mum died suddenly. In March 2019 just a few short weeks after her 40th Birthday, Nicky was diagnosed with breast cancer and began aggressive treatment. Then, on the 27th December 2019 her husband unexpectedly and suddenly died. And most recently, she’s had to grieve her dad’s death. She has faced unimaginable loss but has come out stronger on the other side. Nicky has been cancer-free for five years. Refusing to be defined by grief, she’s carved out a new life for herself, unapologetically embracing hope and the possibility of love again. Nicky’s story is one of resilience, joy, and living life on her own terms.

Description

Talking about grief is one of the hardest topics to untangle. When you’ve lost someone you love, the festive holidays can seem far from the happiest time of the year. And grief at Christmas can feel particularly hard. From making new traditions to simply surviving in one piece, there is no wrong or right way to grieve. However, by learning a softer yet realistic way to tackle grief with a friend, relative, loved one or colleague, we can make this time of year less lonely, isolating and let's be honest... awkward. By understanding the less than helpful platitudes and learning what to text a person during the ‘happy holidays’, we can invite grief into the conversation lovingly versus leaving it outside in the cold. And if you find yourself holding onto so much love that has nowhere to go, let hope be your gift this Christmas. In this honest, uplifting, and to-the-point season finale, listen in as Nicky and Ally talk about grief, a different way.

In this episode, Nicky and Ally discuss:

• How to cope with grief at Christmas
• Why stigma around death and grief needs to end
• How to juggle a happy holiday with a broken heart
• The less than peaceful platitudes
• The differences between anticipatory and sudden loss
• How to lean into loneliness at Christmas
• When grief becomes a familiar feeling
• Widow, single or neither: What is the perfect label for the grievers?

If you love this episode, please share and leave a review — let’s smoke out stigma and make truth-telling the next biggest trend.

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