#OptionBThere for the Holidays | OptionB.Org

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Learn how to support others when they’ll need it the most.

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When a family member or friend is going through any sort of challenge, small gestures of love and support can go a long way. Find the words and actions to support loved ones when they need you the most.

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Advice and practical tips for this holiday season

Ways to be there

Comfort a friend facing a lonely holiday

Understand why loneliness can hurt and how you can offer support during the holiday season.

Find ways to be there—even when you’re far away

Eight ways to show your support for friends and loved ones when distance keeps you apart.

Support kids whose families have changed

Advice for how to help children navigate the holidays in the wake of death or divorce, from experts on helping kids build resilience.

Care for the caregivers in your life

Steps you can take to support caregivers—who give so much of themselves to the ones they love, no matter the season.

Support a loved one working through addiction

Learn why addiction can be harder to manage during the holidays—and how you can best support a friend in recovery.

Resolve to be there beyond the holidays

Steps for making a plan to be there for your loved ones after the holidays are over.

Say something

Be thoughtful about holiday greetings

Suggestions for what to say when tried-and-true holiday greetings don’t feel quite right.

Send an #OptionBThere holiday card

When someone you care about is going through a tough time, cheery holiday sentiments can fall short. Share love with these honest holiday cards, made in partnership with PAPYRUS and Emily McDowell.

How to start a conversation—and why it matters

What to say to let loved ones know it’s OK to share their true feelings.

Send an old-fashioned letter

Advice for writing a heartfelt letter to lift your friend’s spirits.

Find Meaning in Giving

Volunteer for a good cause

Recommendations to help you give back—because doing good for others is good for you, too.

Discover your empathy superpower

A tool to help you find the best way you can support your friends and family during the holidays, from empathy expert Dr. Kelsey Crowe.

Give meaningful gifts

Holiday gift ideas, like a homemade photo album, that let a friend know how much you care, sourced from the Option B community.

Connect with Yourself and Others

Honor lost loved ones

A list of ways to help keep a loved one’s memory alive, from planting a memorial tree to cooking a favorite recipe.

Play a feel-good game

A custom #OptionBThere card game to help you and your loved ones focus on moments of joy, celebrate small victories, and practice gratitude.

Write down positive moments

Small steps you can take to appreciate the good in your daily life this holiday season.

Declare your holiday bill of rights

A seven-step guide to approaching the holidays on your own terms, starting with accepting your feelings.

Ask for the help you need

A guide to deciding how your friends and loved ones can help you over the holidays—and tips for how to ask.

Face financial hardship without guilt or shame

Discover how thoughts and feelings about money can affect how we spend—and how to stick to a budget while still enjoying the holidays.

Connect with people who understand

Join the Option B Facebook Grief and Loss group or an Option B Gathering to connect with people who’ve had similar experiences and are ready to offer support.

Read Option B Stories

The holidays are hard if you struggle with mental illness—don’t blame yourself

By Kesha

Community Story

“Thanks to my friend and her mom, I was saved from a pretty awful holiday—and found a husband.”

By Marisa Renee Lee

How to conquer loneliness during the holidays

By Patton Oswalt

Community Story

“I got the greatest help from an unexpected source—my amazing children.”

By Alan Roman

Community Story

“She just sat there and listened—and that meant a lot.”

By Leticia Pizarro Velilla

The new year is a time for hope, even after tragedy

By Gabby Giffords & Mark Kelly

What I’ve learned over the 19 Christmases since my husband died

By Katie Couric

Grief may change some holiday traditions, but you can create new ones

By Robin Roberts

Community Story

“For the most part, the day felt like any other Christmas.”

By Beth Finke

Community Story

“My desire to experience Christmas authentically was my motivation to come out to my family.”

By Sarah McBride

Community Story

“We continued to thrive to the extent possible because an army of loved ones held us fast through the tortured holiday season.”

By John Duberstein

Community Story

“The holidays were never about material things—they were, and always will be, about family and love.”

By Liz Prives

Community Story

“After twelve years, he could open a present on his own. And she captured it on video.”

By Keith Hammond

Community Story

“Though the holidays are still the toughest time, I have an incredible support system to help me stay strong.”

By Heidi

Community Story

“Helping other families gives us a focus beyond our own pain.”

By Isabel Hernandez-Torres