Events, Charities, Resources And More For The Holiday Season

Managing your mental well-being during the holiday season often requires mindful effort. This season of spiritual and secular celebrations offers countless opportunities to connect and create lasting memories. However, the shorter days, changing weather, and the stress of gift-giving can make this time of year difficult for many when the societal expectation is for the holidays to be happy and positive.  The holidays can also be a difficult time for those struggling with grief and loss, where the absence of a loved one can be felt most strongly.  We encourage you to take time to strengthen connections with loved ones, explore opportunities to give back through volunteering or donations and make use of available community resources if needed.  To help you have the best holiday season possible, we have updated our list of the Boston area’s largest events, charities, resources, and supports.

Events

• Boston Central’s Holiday Events List is an excellent way to explore local paid and free events in the Boston area, with links and details included.
• Boston Parent Paper also offers a list of family-friendly events in the Boston and surrounding metropolitan area.
• The Massachusetts branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness continues to offer a list of Family Support Groups, a resource many find helpful for coping with stress and mental health challenges on the holidays. 

MENTAL HEALTH AND GRIEF

• This Boston Medical Center podcast episode on holiday stress offers insight and tips from a licensed psychologist for taking care of your mental health during the holidays.
• This article from the Better Brain Foundation for ideas offers help managing general stress around the holidays.
• This article from grief.com shares advice for coping with grief during the holidays. Discover magazine also shares this article on holiday grief, with special focus on the difference between depression and grief during the holidays. 
• This article from MGH highlights both coping methods for grief and local resources for those struggling with the loss of a loved one. 

LOCAL RESOURCES AND CHARITIES

• Toys for Tots: This yearly national program is committed to toy donation and distribution to families in need.
• DisabilityInfo.org Assistance maintains its own substantial list of charities and resources.
• This site shows off a list of potential financial aid sources for bills, Christmas gifts and more in Middlesex and Suffolk counties for those that qualify.
• The Greater Boston Food Bank continues to be a longstanding vital community resource.  We encourage you to consider a donation this holiday season.
• Find Your Food Pantry: This link, maintained through the Office of Food Justice, helps city residents locate the nearest food pantry, as well as other resources and numbers to assist families with food stability.
• Globe Santa is a Massachusetts area charity that helps provide gifts for children in need. 
• The US Postal service supports children through Operation Santa, which is now open for donations. 
• Each year the Salvation Army runs its red pot charity drive to help provide food, shelter, and utility assistance to those in need.
• We strongly encourage individual donations to Boston area homeless shelters such as Rosie’s Place, the Pine Street Inn, and Father Bill’s. 
• The Red cross also offers this list of ways to donate and give to those in need.

As always, please reach out to us at the EAP if you have any questions or want us to highlight an event or resource. Have a safe and warm holiday season.