We are thankful that Katja Faber Argenta has taken the time to record this very special Christmas Message.

Katja shares her experiences of navigating Christmas over the last eleven years after her son Alex was killed on 30th December 2014.

For parents more newly bereaved or parents struggling this year with the difficulties of Christmas we hope you find some comfort in Katja's words on how her family have reinvented Christmas as the years have passed and that it has felt lighter and softer in more recent years.

@katja.author.faber is a mother, writer, speaker and grief mentor. I like so many other bereaved parents took great comfort from Katja's posts over the years as her words resonated and I could identify in what she was writing.

We would like to wish Katja, her family and all our listeners a peaceful Christmas. Whatever you choose to do or not do over the coming days is enough.

Extending our love to you and your loved ones no longer physically with us ❤️.

This podcast short is dedicated to Alex ❤️

#childloss

#bereavedparent

#survivingchristmas

We are so honoured @love.from.dad Matt has recorded this very special Christmas Message for parents who are navigating the devastating loss of a baby or young child.

Matt talks about navigating that first Christmas without their baby daughter Wren who died at eight days old in April 2022.

Matt explains the difficulties of handling family photos and how they include Wrens bunny in these family gatherings.

Matt shares some beautiful ways of how they include and honour their daughter Wren at Christmas. Including buying an age appropriate toy at and donating it to a local charity in Wren's honour.

From the bottom of our heart we send our love to Matt, his family and to anyone affected by the loss of a baby 🩷💙.

For parents seeking understanding please follow Matt @love.from.dad . Matt is an advocate for the @stillparentspodcast hosted by Dads who have all experienced baby loss.
Please reach out to your local baby loss charity and national ones that offer support and a helpline.

This podcast short is dedicated to Wren 🩷.

Today we are so thankful for Sascha's little sister Stefanie who has kindly recorded this special Christmas message.

Her older brother Sascha died aged 18 in 2004 from Glioblastoma which is an aggressive cancer in the brain.

Stefanie shares how they honour and include Sascha at Christmas and have formed ways of doing this as a family every year.

We love the candle lighting idea and having a candle burning into the new year as a symbol of Stefanie taking Sascha into the next year with her.

Coping with a new year without your loved one is often very challenging and a particularly complex time in grief.

Sibling grief is complicated as not only does it change the dynamics of your family. You may now be the only living child yet this was never meant to be. Often siblings have special close relationships they can be best friends, confidents and protectors and the loss of them is felt in so many ways.

The focus after a child dies is often on the parents as this is against the natural order of life. For a sibling they are grieving the loss of their sibling and on top the loss of the son/daughter relationship they had before as their parents are struggling with their own grief. This can have further impact the family connection with living siblings as each of their relationships with their parents and siblings are uniquely individual to them.

This is a truly beautiful message from Stefanie which clearly shows the growing love and bond she has with her big brother Sascha.

Thank you Stefanie x

This podcast short is dedicated to Sascha ❤️

#glioblastomaawareness

#siblingloss

#siblinggrief

#survivingchristmas

#saytheirnames