Finding comfort when Christmas has lost its magic: Sabine’s tips

December 2025

WAY volunteer and qualified nutritionist Sabine Horner offers some gentle recipes for navigating the festive season when you’ve been widowed young, based on her new book…

“Christmas can feel like a minefield when you’re grieving. A few months after Kevin died, I found myself in a garden centre surrounded by twinkling lights and cheerful shoppers, desperate to escape. Everything around me felt like a different reality, and at home even cooking a simple meal felt overwhelming.

You may know this feeling too – not having the energy to cook, let alone plan meals or face the food shop. My bereavement counsellor told me that grief turns us into ‘energy vampires’, and she was right. In those early days, I had no idea how deeply grief would affect me – not just emotionally, physically too.

Why the festive season makes everything harder

Even before the holidays, many of us run on empty: poor sleep, exhaustion, anxiety and low mood are often daily companions.

Then Christmas piles on more pressure: emotional triggers, social expectations, late dinners, disrupted routines and an abundance of rich foods and sweet treats that promise comfort but often leave us more depleted.

When emotional stress is already disrupting our digestion and appetite, Christmas adds another layer of overwhelm.

And this is where food – or the lack of it – starts to matter far more than most people realise.

The blood sugar grief spiral

During a trip to Italy – just a year after Kevin died – I discovered something nobody tells you: what and when you eat directly affects how you cope with grief. I call it the grief and sugar rollercoaster –when stress and irregular meals send your blood sugar soaring and crashing, pulling your mood, energy and emotions with it.

I learned this the hard way. Limited fibre-rich breakfast options and odd meal times sent my blood sugar spiralling. Combined with my fragile emotions, it tipped me over the edge. I completely lost it – and almost lost some friends with it who didn’t understand.

That’s why I want you to know: when grief is already throwing you around emotionally, the last thing you need is your blood sugar doing the same.

Strategies for navigating Christmas challenges

My book, Nourishing Through Loss: A Gentle Holiday Guide, was born out of this experience and seeing so many other people dread the festive season. It’s about making the holidays a bit more manageable when you’re barely coping.

Some of the simplest recipes can be the most helpful:

My ‘magic’ soup – a ‘lifesaver’ for travel or low-energy days
Sparkly stir-fry – to cheer you up when everything feels grey
Nourishing desserts – genuine comfort without the sugar chaos
Spiced mulled wine – truly medicinal, thanks to digestive spices
Energy balls – quick nourishment for emergencies

Every recipe follows this ‘magic trio’: vegetables (or fruit), protein and healthy fats – keeping your blood sugar steady so you don’t need coffee mid-afternoon or a snack just before bed.

Beyond recipes, the book also shows you how to create ‘eating anchors’ when life feels unpredictable, let go of perfection with the 80:20 approach, set healthy boundaries at social gatherings, reset your digestion when it feels off and handle travel or family stays without being caught off guard – like I was in Italy.

Permission to put yourself first

Christmas while grieving takes extraordinary effort, but you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through.

Give yourself a break. Allow yourself to do things differently this Christmas. Even one warm, balanced meal, one deep breath before eating, or swapping just one ingredient for a more nourishing option can change how you experience the holiday season.”

Sabine’s book Nourishing Through Loss: A Gentle Holiday Guide brings together recipes and strategies to manage some of the challenges many of us face during the festive season after we’ve been bereaved.

You can find Sabine’s book in print on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4ipfF8t
Or download the PDF here: https://tr.ee/N6ge-zHQA1