The festive season is all about family – and that includes those we have lost.
For many, this time of year can be difficult, with the absence of the departed keenly felt. But for psychics like me, the spiritual energy around Christmas is palpable.
My experience as a medium over the last 26 years has taught me death is never the end, but the beginning of a new existence. And the spirits of our lost loved ones are particularly present at this time.
Where your attention flows, energy goes. Because we reminisce about late family members at Christmas, they take their cue and send us signs.
So if you’re decorating the tree or wrapping a present and suddenly get a sense that someone is with you, you’re not mistaken. They want to let you know they are close by.
So how can you tell if your loved one is reaching out to you from the other side? Here are some signs to look out for…
Music
Music holds a lot of emotional weight, and everyone has a favourite Christmas song or carol that makes them smile year after year.
My late nan was a huge Johnny Mathis fan. While When A Child Is Born is almost guaranteed to be on the radio daily during December, I find I exclusively hear it when I’m feeling low and need a boost.
It’s Nan’s way of letting me know she’s with me. If you hear a song you strongly associate with a loved one, chances are it’s their message to remind you of Christmases past.
Visions
Maggie, the daughter of my client Carrie, had passed away, and her mum was dreading the first Christmas without her.
Carrie was understandably frazzled on the day and stepped outside to take a moment alone. Suddenly, she saw Maggie’s face reflected in a frozen puddle.
So be on high alert – if you’re feeling low, your loved one may go above and beyond to make themselves known, like Maggie did.
Chance meetings
I always bump into one friend, without fail, on Christmas Eve, even though we don’t live near one another or share the same shopping haunts. It is her late sister, who was murdered on Christmas Eve, ensuring that our paths cross so I can offer reassurance. If you have a seemingly chance encounter this time of year, consider what – or who – bumping into this person could remind you of. Your departed loved one could be guiding this person into your life to comfort you.
Smells
Fragrances are a huge part of how our deceased loved ones communicate with us, especially through perfume, as it’s so personal.
One client, grieving for her mum, was walking through a beauty store when she was overpowered by the strong, spicy smell of Estee Lauder’s Youth Dew. The shop didn’t sell it and there was no one around her wearing it. It had been her mum’s signature scent.
Miracles
My client Sherry had lost her son, Harry, when he was 17. She was grieving and Christmas was a difficult time for her.
After one particularly hard night she was standing in the supermarket when she sent me a photo from one of the aisles – where every packet on the shelf had a picture of a donkey.
Why was this significant? Harry’s nickname for his mum was Donkey.
If you can’t believe your eyes at a seemingly magical occurrence, please don’t think you’re going mad. Your loved one senses your pain and has done everything in their power to help you.
Lights
Spirits really do love the energy of electricity, so changes to it can be a sign of their presence. And with the Christmas tree at the heart of our celebrations, it’s an easy way for the deceased to make themselves known.
I used to see a lady called Barbara regularly. In her first year as a widow, she put the Christmas tree up by herself using her late husband’s treasured fairy lights.
They suddenly started to flash… but they had no setting that would explain them doing so and they weren’t faulty. It was her husband, who had always put the lights on the tree himself, letting her know she wasn’t alone.
Dreams
We have a particularly strong connection to the dead in our dreams. The subconscious doesn’t recognise linear time, making it easier for the deceased to contact us.
I’ve had many clients tell me their loved ones have appeared to them in a dream on Christmas Eve.
When you go to bed, before you drift off ask them to show you they’re with you.
I promise you’ll have a lovely encounter with them while you sleep.
Likewise, if you’re woken suddenly during the night feeling like somebody is there, that’s them saying hello. If this happens, don’t panic – think who in the spirit world could be trying to greet you.
How to reach out on the solstice
The Winter Solstice on December 21 is when pagans recognise the return of the light. It’s the longest night of the year and the perfect opportunity to acknowledge all you have achieved over the previous 12 months.
Solstice means ‘sun standing still’ and it’s on this day that the planet’s energy – or ley – lines come into greater resonance with one another. It’s believed that in this ‘portal’ of energy we find it easier to communicate with those who have left us too. I find writing letters to loved ones, or even a Christmas card, releases the weight and psychic build-up of the big day.
It’s also the ideal moment to light a candle for a loved one. The soft and warm image of a flame allows our mind to drop into a relaxed, meditative state.
Think of your loved one and, if there is no draft in the room and the flame flickers, then you know they are with you.
Follow TJ at @tjhiggs
As told to Samantha Brick
