Holding Onto Hope Through the Holidays.

The holiday season often brings a mix of emotions, especially for parents facing alienation from their children.

Christmas can deepen feelings of grief, absence, and longing.

It is common to feel sadness alongside love and hope, and that is okay.

Struggling during this time does not mean you are failing.

This article explores how to carry hope gently without forcing cheer, offering ways to honour your emotions while navigating an emotionally heavy season.

If you're an alienated parent and need help with your situation then you should join PAPA today.

At PAPA we have several free to use support spaces, as well as several additional resources available to our Plus members, such as courses, PAPA AI, 1-2-1 help and workshops on family law and mental health.

Naming the Weight of the Season

The holidays can magnify the pain of separation and loss.

For parents experiencing parental alienation, the absence of children during Christmas may feel especially sharp.

It is important to recognise these feelings as real and valid.

You might feel sadness, anger, or loneliness, even as you hold onto love and hope for the future.

Mixed emotions are natural.

You can grieve deeply and still care deeply.

Feeling overwhelmed or exhausted does not mean you are weak or failing.

This season is hard for many, and acknowledging that truth is the first step toward gentleness with yourself.

Redefining Hope

Hope does not mean pretending everything is fine or forcing a smile.

Instead, hope can be quiet and steady.

It is patient and realistic, allowing space for pain and disappointment.

This kind of hope does not erase difficult feelings but lives alongside them.

Think of hope as a small flame that burns even in darkness.

It might not be bright or loud, but it offers warmth and the possibility of light.

This quiet hope helps you stay grounded and present, even when the future feels uncertain.

Letting Go of Forced Cheer

Cultural expectations often push us to be festive and positive during the holidays.

This pressure can feel overwhelming and isolating when your heart is heavy.

It is okay to reject the idea that you must celebrate in a certain way.

Choosing simplicity, rest, or solitude can be a powerful act of self-care.

You might decide to skip certain events or traditions that feel too painful.

Honouring your limits without guilt allows you to protect your emotional well-being.

Remember, you do not owe anyone a forced smile or cheer.

Your feelings are valid, and taking care of yourself is the most important gift you can give.

Carrying Hope in Small, Sustainable Ways

When the season feels heavy, focus on manageable intentions.

Instead of trying to get through the entire holiday, aim to get through today or even this moment.

Breaking time into smaller pieces makes it easier to cope.

Grounding practices can help you stay connected to the present.

Consider:

• Taking gentle walks outside to breathe fresh air and notice nature

• Keeping a simple daily routine to create stability

• Writing in a journal to express your feelings and reflect

• Practicing mindfulness or quiet reflection to calm your mind

  
  

Consistency in these small actions builds a foundation of strength.

Even if the progress feels invisible, it matters deeply.

It's also recommended to regularly complete our on-demand Escape Anxiety course.

Holding Space for Your Children

Love continues despite distance or silence.

Holding hope means staying emotionally available for the future, even when connection feels impossible now.

This hope is not about control but about openness.

You can take actions that align with the parent you want to be when reconnection happens.

This might include:

• Writing letters you may or may not send

• Keeping memories alive through photos or stories

• Practicing patience and kindness toward yourself and your children

  
  

These steps nurture your relationship quietly and gently, planting seeds for healing when the time is right.

Finding Strength in Community

You are not alone in this experience.

Many parents face similar challenges during the holidays.

Connecting with others who understand alienation can provide comfort and strength.

Look for supportive groups or communities like PAPA, where you can share your story without judgement.

The shared resilience within these spaces reminds you that your feelings are real and your journey is respected.

Community offers a place to rest, be heard, and find encouragement when hope feels fragile.

At PAPA we are hosting an online get together on Christmas Day, which is completely free to all PAPA members.

Book your space on our Christmas Day get together here.

A Gentle Christmas Message

This season is just one moment in a much larger story.

It does not define your worth or the love you hold.

Hope does not need to be loud or bright to be real.

Sometimes, the quietest hope is the strongest.

Surviving this season with compassion for yourself is an act of courage and love.

Take each day as it comes, honour your feelings, and remember that you are not alone.

In need of help or support?

If you are an alienated parent reading this article and feel you are in need of help and support then please make sure to join PAPA today by signing up here on our website.

This will give you access to our community support forum as well as our Resource Centre, which includes downloadable guides and on-demand courses to help through the process of being alienated and regaining contact with your children.

We also have our Facebook support group that you can join here.

Our Facebook support group has several dedicated chat rooms where you can get immediate support.

If you are a member of PAPA you can also send us a message here on the website and we will try to get back to you as soon as possible but please bear in mind, we have hundreds of messages weekly so it may take us a while to get back to you.

We are currently prioritising PAPA Plus members due to high demand.

Regardless of circumstance you are not alone and at PAPA we are here to support you.

Become a PAPA Ambassador

If you like our resources, articles and support networks and agree with what we stand for then why not get involved and help us push PAPA further by joining our Ambassador Program?

We would love for you to join us and help spread awareness for parental alienation and all of the dynamics involved so that we can continue to help parents and children towards a better future.

Our Ambassador Program allows you to grow your involvement with the cause by earning points on your membership.

To earn points we have created rewards for actions such as completing one of our courses, booking a case review, or ordering supply.

We will be adding new rewards and actions to our Ambassador Program as we continue to grow our awareness efforts.

We want our members to feel rewarded for their support as we continue to look for new ways to improve the lives of those impacted by parental alienation.

You can also become a PAPA Plus member, which will give you exclusive access to even more help and resources.

Each PAPA Plus membership makes a huge difference to the cause as it really helps us to improve our services and our awareness campaigns.

Proceeds from memberships and supply allow us to push the cause much further towards raising awareness and improving our services and resources so that we can continue to help more and more parents and children.

Thank you for reading and for your continued support of PAPA and our mission to end parental alienation.