Cheryl is reportedly pulling out all the stops to make sure her son Bear, seven, has a special Christmas as he prepares to spend his first one without his father, Liam Payne

Cheryl faces her first Christmas without Liam Payne, the father of her seven year old son Bear. The 31 year old One Direction star tragically passed away after a fall from a third-floor balcony at his hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16th.

Now, the former X Factor judge is determined to make the holiday season as festive as possible for Bear, who will experience his first Christmas Day without his cherished dad. Liam always celebrated the day with his son and family, and Cheryl, the Girls Aloud singer, is aiming to fill the gap during what could be a challenging time.

Plans are in place for Bear to receive visits from Liam’s parents, Karen and Geoff, as well as his older sisters. According to reports, Cheryl is putting in extra effort to ensure the day is memorable, as their shared sorrow is likely to be more acute.

“It has been a really sad time for Bear and Cheryl… This was the time when Liam would skip over to Cheryl’s and despite them not being together, they would give Bear the most special of days,” an insider revealed to the Mail on Sunday. “Wherever Liam was in the world, he’d always make sure to be home to spend Christmas Day with Bear. [Bear] will always have those memories, but now things will be different.”

Cheryl and Liam dated for two years, ending their relationship in 2018 ( Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Uni)

Liam and Cassidy shared a son named Bear who’s now seven years old ( Image: Instagram)

Despite their split in 2018 when Bear was just a toddler, Cheryl has maintained a close relationship with Liam’s family, reports the Mirror.

Joan, Cheryl’s mother, also shares a tight bond with her grandson, and together, they are all committed to making this season memorable for him.

The source revealed: “Cheryl has gone to great lengths to ensure Liam isn’t forgotten. She has been careful not to spoil Bear, given he is the son of two wealthy people, but this year is going to be tough and everyone wants to see a smile on Bear’s face. He has had an utterly heartbreaking few months.”

Cheryl has faced significant loss before, as she grieved the death of her Girls Aloud bandmate Sarah Harding in 2021. Sarah, only 39, tragically died in September after a battle with breast cancer, devastating her friends and admirers.

Cheryl expressed how deeply Sarah’s passing affected her, stating, “A lot of conversations we had before she left really sparked a different perspective for me, and I’ll carry that. She wasn’t ready to leave and I think, ‘well I’m still here’, I’ve got the gift of life to still live, and I’ll do it with her in mind. It does shift a lot of things in your own heart.”

In a conversation with MailOnline, Cheryl added, “With the loss and our age we just appreciate and love each other so much more. We always have loved each other, obviously. But it’s just different, there’s a different depth to it all now.”