Creating Special Memories for Children & Young People this Christmas

KEMP Children & Young People Memory Event

For children and young people who are experiencing grief, Christmas can be a particularly challenging time of year. Thoughts of their loved ones are ever present, but it’s important they can still find enjoyment in the festive season. That’s why on 5^th December, the KEMP Family Support and Bereavement Team held a Christmas Craft Thursday.

Children and young people who have accessed their service in the last year, were invited to come along and take part in a variety of creative and craft activities in groups. They could enjoy activities in a safe space, meeting others who may be experiencing similar feelings about their own grief.

Helen, KEMP Counsellor said “The Christmas Craft event is part of a series of memory events that we hold throughout the year for children and young people. It’s important they are given an opportunity to explore and reflect on their emotions.  Reflecting on memories of the person who has died can be of comfort and help cement memories of them. We want to give children and young people a safe space to spend time together in a supportive environment, with others who are experiencing similar circumstances”.

Some of the activities which took place at the Christmas Craft Event include:

• Christmas Memory Bracelets: Choosing from a variety of beads to make memory bracelets.
• Snowflake and Santa Stones: Decorating stones with a Santa design to help enjoy the festive season. 
• Wooden Christmas tree decorations: Design a wooden Christmas tree decoration with their favourite colours and a variety of stickers.
• Memory Bauble: These baubles can be opened, and the children were invited to add in a variety of craft items such as tinsel, feathers, snowflakes and sequins to create a beautiful bauble for their tree at home, to signify the memory of their loved one.
• Memory Tealight: Decorating a jar which contains a tealight (battery operated). The jar can be coloured with their loved one’s name or add a sticker to the jar. The candle inside can then be lit in memory.
• Christmas Memory box: Decorating a small box in whatever design the children like using colours, stickers, sequins and lots of craft items. The memory box can then contain special items to remind them of their loved one.

All the items they created at the Christmas Craft event were taken home by each child as a special reminder of what they made, and who they made it for. The evening then came to a close after enjoying a delicious dinner of pizza, chips and nuggets prepared by KEMP Chef Richard.

Taking part in craft activities is a helpful way to help the children and young people cope with their grief. They can spend time with their peers who are experiencing similar emotions and express how they are feeling through the creative nature of the activities.

By spending time with others, it can normalise the child’s grief, give them an outlet to talk in a way they may not be able to at home, and help them discover coping strategies.

Children & Young People Memory Event 2024

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Find out more about KEMP Family Support & Bereavement Service, including counselling support for Young People and Children.