<human>: Can you give me the gist of the text in a nutshell?

I'm sorry if I posted this in the wrong area. I've been looking around and can't find a sub that would specifically help me. Let me know if there is some where else that this should be.

Every year my boyfriend [20] gets really mean, short tempered and distant, around this time. His father passed away 3 years ago and they were very close. We met roughly a year after he had passed. Around the beginning of the month he starts getting less intimate and he lashes out often. He'll start yelling at me [20] for asking questions he feels are stupid or will get up and leave a room instead of telling me what I am doing that bothers him. This is very out of character for him as he is the most patient, kind person I know. It makes me feel more alone then ever.

I try to help by just keeping up on everything in the house and getting him whatever he needs. I feel like if it were up to him he would just sit at home watching tv all day and night. Truthfully, he wouldn't eat or move if I wasn't here.

I feel how sad he is and I feel helpless because he says there is nothing I can do to help. I know that when you lose someone close there isn't really any thing that any one can say to help but I was wondering if anyone had experienced some thing similar to this and can help me help him. 

I am just at a loss. I want to help ease the pain and help avoid the unhealthy funk he gets into every year. It kills me to see him like this and I hate feeling so lonely around the holidays. I am fearful that because he won't talk about it or deal with the emotions that this will forever weigh on him.
Is there anything I can do to help? Or is this normal and will it change as time goes by?
<bot>: Boyfriend gets distant and short tempered around December because his father passed away 3 years ago. Can I help ease his pain?