How to deal with being sad during the holidays

During the holidays this year I have heard tons of bad news. I know two people whose family members committed suicide. I have friends who have family members in nursing homes and the hospital. And so as I sit here on New Years Eve I am reflecting on just how hard it can be during the holidays. And one thing this opened my eyes to is how it seems to be wrong to grieve during the holidays. We tell everyone to have a happy holiday. The problem with that is we EXPECT them too. People are not allowed to be sad during the holidays. I think we need to pay more attention to the people around us. We need to have conversations and discuss with people about how they are really doing. Most importantly tell them about Jesus. Tell them how His name is Immanuel which means ‘God With Us’. And don’t forget to tell other your story and about your struggles during the holidays.