The ballon is a great idea and I’m facing my husbands birthday coming up on Monday.A week ago was our anniversary and now his bday coming up. It’s very difficult, he passed just last Jan. I hope you got through the day . Its so hard.

I'll know the answer to this in a few weeks. So far it's been far worse than I could ever have thought. Just an emptiness about everything.

It hasn't quite been a year since my husband died, so I don't really know how to handle these things yet. I was just contemplating what to do about the anniversary of his death in a few weeks. I don't know if I would be better off going to work or taking the day off. Hugs to you.

I just note the date with family members and then go about daily life. i remember her but accept that there is no return ticket.

After eight years I don’t really do anything special on what would have been birthdays and anniversaries. I do remember them, but just carry on as though they were any other day, and don’t mark them by doing anything special. I think I have managed to come to terms with being without Peter by not clinging to special days that could make me feel sad. I am not saying everyone should follow my example but just stating that it works for me. I know have been called out by others for saying we have to move on from our grief and try not to keep reliving it. However, I firmly believe we owe it to ourselves to try to move past the grief of loss and feel sure our late partners would wish us to do so and would want us to be happy.