The holidays are often filled with bright lights, cheerful music, and joyful gatherings. But for many, this season also brings an ache for what’s missing: a loved one’s voice, laughter, or presence at the table. When the world seems to be celebrating, grief can feel out of place.
That’s where Roper & Sons’ annual Blue Christmas Service can help. This quiet, reflective gathering offers comfort, peace, and understanding to those hurting during the holidays. This year’s Blue Christmas Service event will be held on Sunday, December 21 at 4:00 PM at the South Chapel, 3950 Hohensee Drive.
“We want the Lincoln community to know that it’s okay to feel sadness amid the season’s joy,” says Kenia Reynoso, Outreach Director at Roper & Sons in Lincoln, Nebraska. “This is our fourth year hosting the Blue Christmas Service at our South Chapel—it’s a way to give individuals and families a safe place to come together and support one another.”
Reynoso shares several meaningful ways a Blue Christmas Service can bring peace and hope to those experiencing grief during the holidays.
A Safe Space to Feel What You Feel
During the holidays, many people feel pressure to smile and stay cheerful, even when their hearts are heavy. A Blue Christmas Service offers something different—a calm, caring space where you can be honest about your emotions.
Whether you’re feeling sadness, anger, confusion, or quiet longing, you are welcome just as you are. You don’t have to hide your grief or pretend to be okay.
At the service, you can light a candle in memory of your loved one, listen to soothing music, or simply sit in silence surrounded by others who understand. It’s a chance to pause, to breathe, and to give yourself permission to feel. Sometimes, the most healing thing we can do is simply acknowledge our pain and allow it to be seen.
Shared Understanding and Connection
Grief can feel incredibly lonely, especially when everyone else seems joyful and carefree. A Blue Christmas Service reminds you that you’re not alone.
It brings together people walking a similar path, each carrying their own story of love and loss. There’s a quiet understanding that doesn’t require words. Being surrounded by others who get it can be deeply comforting.
Through moments of reflection, gentle music, and healing words, you may find a sense of connection in simply being together—each person holding their own memories, yet joined in community and care.
Hope and Healing
While a Blue Christmas Service acknowledges the pain of grief, it also reminds you that hope still exists, even if it feels far away.
Through candlelight, words of comfort, and messages of encouragement, you are reminded that healing is possible, even if slowly, and even if the holidays will never feel the same.
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting—it means finding ways to carry your loved one’s memory forward with tenderness and peace. For many, the service is a time to pause, remember, and gather strength for the days ahead.
In a season that celebrates joy, our Blue Christmas Service offers something equally important: the grace to grieve, to simply be, and to begin healing.
Ongoing Support for the Community
Grief doesn’t end after the holidays, and you don’t have to face it alone.
Roper & Sons offers free, monthly Grief Group Counseling sessions in a safe, caring environment for anyone in the Lincoln community. Whether you choose to share your story, listen, or simply sit among others who understand, these gatherings offer comfort and connection through every stage of grief.
Grief Group Counseling
Meets the first and third Sundays of each month, 1:45–2:45 p.m.
Roper & Sons Midtown Chapel, 4300 O Street, Lincoln
Addiction Loss Group
Meets the third Sunday of each month, 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Roper & Sons Midtown Chapel
Both groups are led by Melissa Thorne, LIMHP, LADC, Grief Therapist at Roper & Sons.
We know that grief is deeply personal—there’s no right or wrong way to move through it. Give yourself the time and space to heal. Our compassionate professionals at Roper & Sons are here to support you through every stage of grief.