Episode #74: Mindful Holiday Etiquette

Discover a gentler way to move through the holiday season with Peerless Etiquette — widely recognized as one of the top etiquette podcasts for modern refinement, emotional intelligence, and intentional living.

In this heartfelt episode, “Mindfulness During the Holidays: Remembering Those Who Are Grieving,” Mrs. Benjamin offers a compassionate guide to supporting loved ones who are navigating loss. With her signature warmth and thoughtful teaching style, she explores how grief intensifies during the holidays and how simple acts of kindness, presence, and acknowledgment can make someone feel seen, supported, and remembered.

Listeners will learn meaningful etiquette practices for approaching grief with sensitivity — from offering gentle check‑ins, to honoring memories, to including grieving individuals without pressure. This episode blends emotional awareness with practical guidance, making it an essential resource for anyone seeking to bring more compassion and mindfulness into the holiday season.

With its nurturing tone and educational depth, Peerless Etiquette continues to stand out as a leading etiquette podcast, helping listeners cultivate grace, empathy, and intentional connection in every season of life.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Welcome to the Peerless Etiquette podcast.
I am Missus Benjamin and I am sograteful you're here listening
today. As we begin, I want to share the
tea I'm currently enjoying. I am sipping a cup of chamomile

(00:25):
tea with a touch of lemon and honey.
Chamomile has a way of softeningthe edges of the day.
It's gentle, soothing and comforting.
The kind of tea that reminds youto slow down and breathe.

(00:49):
This tea inspires today's episode because the holidays,
while joyful for many, can be tender and heavy for others.
And just like chamomile, we are called to bring softness, warmth

(01:12):
and comfort to those who are carrying grief.
Stay tuned. Welcome to the Glow.

(01:36):
Stepping with pride, appearance polished dignity.
Inside, Missus Benjamin smiles. You've already won.
Radiance rising like the morningsun.

(01:58):
I want to say this to anyone whois grieving.
If this season feels tender for you, if your heart feels heavy,
if the world seems to be moving faster than you can keep up

(02:19):
with, please hear me. You are not alone.
Your grief is real, your love isreal, and the person you're
missing mattered deeply. You don't have to pretend.

(02:40):
You don't have to be cheerful for anyone.
You don't have to be strong. You are allowed to feel what you
feel. You are allowed to move slowly.
You are allowed to honor your memories in your own way.

(03:08):
And if no one has reminded you lately, you are held in thought,
wrapped in compassion, and remembered with love.
I'm sending warmth to your heart, gentleness to your

(03:29):
spirit, and comfort to the places that may ache.
You matter, your feelings matter, and you are seen.
Today we're talking about mindfulness during the holiday

(03:51):
season. Specifically, how to be
thoughtful and kind toward thosewho have lost loved ones.
The holidays can magnify absence.
They can make silence feel louder and memories feel
sharper. And yet, with intention, we can

(04:17):
help others feel seen, supportedand remembered.
The holidays have a way of highlighting what's missing.
For someone who has lost a parent, a partner, a child, a

(04:37):
sibling, or a dear friend, this season can feel like a reminder
of what once was. Mindfulness begins with
awareness. Awareness that not everyone is
celebrating. Awareness that joy and sorrow

(05:00):
often sit side by side. Awareness that grief doesn't
follow a calendar. It doesn't pause for the
holidays. When we understand this, we move
through the season with more compassion, more gentleness and

(05:24):
more intention. Thoughtfulness doesn't require
grand gestures. It lives in the small quiet
moments that say I see you, I remember, and I care.

(05:45):
Here are a few ways to make someone who is grieving feel
remembered. Send a simple message thinking
of you today or acknowledge their loved one by name.

(06:05):
It brings comfort, not pain. Offer support without pressure.
If you'd like company, I'm here.Send a card or handwritten note,
something tangible they can hold.

(06:26):
Drop off a small gift, a candle,a book, maybe a warm drink,
something comforting, or share amemory.
A story about their loved 1 can be a beautiful gift.
These gestures don't erase grief, but they soften the

(06:52):
loneliness that often accompanies it.
Mindfulness is not about fixing someone's pain, it's about
honoring it. Here is how to show up with
mindful presence. Listen more than you speak.

(07:14):
Avoid cliches like they're in a better place or everything
happens for a reason. Let them set the tone.
If they want to talk, listen. If they want silence, honor it.
Don't force cheerfulness. Meet them where they are.

(07:39):
Be patient. Grief has no timeline.
Your presence, steady, gentle and non intrusive, is often the
greatest gift. Many people who are grieving
feel torn during the holidays. They want connection, but they

(08:04):
may not have the emotional energy for gatherings.
Here's how to include them thoughtfully.
Extend invitations without expectation.
Let them know it's OK to leave early or decline.

(08:25):
Offer alternatives. A quiet dinner, a walk, maybe
share a cup of tea. Createspace for their loved
one's memory, if they wish. A candle, a photo, a moment of
reflection. Inclusion is not about

(08:47):
insisting, it's about opening the door and letting them choose
how they walk through it. Kindness is a form of etiquette
1 rooted in awareness, empathy and intention.

(09:07):
During the holidays, kindness becomes even more essential.
Make it a tradition to check on someone who may be hurting.
Offer comfort without conditions.
Speak gently, move slowly, lead with compassion.

(09:30):
These are the traditions that outlast decorations, gifts, and
gatherings. These are the traditions that
heal. As I finish this cup of
chamomile tea, I'm reminded thatcomfort is something we can

(09:51):
offer freely through words, our presence, and our
thoughtfulness. The holidays are not the same
for everyone. Some hearts are celebrating,
some are remembering, some are grieving, and some are simply

(10:11):
trying to make it through the season.
May we move with gentleness, maywe speak with kindness, may we
remember those who feel the weight of loss.
And may our presence be a sourceof warmth in a season that can
feel cold. Thank you for spending this time

(10:35):
with me. Stay intentional, stay
compassionate, and stay peerless.

(10:57):
Welcome to the Glow. Stepping with pride, Appearance,
Polish dignity Inside, Missus Benjamin smiles.
You've already won. Radiance rising like the morning

(11:19):
sun, right in appearance, dignity, behavior,
communication, clean, walking infavor here every day.

(11:41):
Watch Grace come alive, alive, Oh yes, alive.
Shoulders back, soft, please. Eyes warm and bright, warm and
bright. Words like velvet spoken just
right. Every Sam version yet light as

(12:07):
the air. Favor follows when you know
you're right. Yell get it baby, Let the whole

(13:36):
I'll see you shine Divine.
He's highly free.