Feeling alone at Christmas

When it comes to Christmas and celebrations all around the world it can become a really lonely time and a lot of people can struggle without a support system at all. When it comes to worldwide celebrations depending on the country you live in, everyone is celebrating with family and friends but there are some people who are actually struggling alone while you’re enjoying yourself.

The first thing people relate with celebrations and Christmas events is having a get together with family and friends. As much as it’s such a lovely thing to look forward to some people can’t for several different reasons, some people are just lonely for example some of the elderly who live alone with no family around them. This time of year can also we hard for people who lost part of there family due to illnesses or other tragic events.

Loneliness doesn’t just affect us mentally it can also affect us physically. The holidays can be the worst time of the year for some people especially Christmas because while your happy and enjoying yourselves. They are definitely some people sat at home alone and it’s just a normal day to them not a celebration at all. While everyone else is having a lovely time.

Thinking of others –

As much as we think it’s a great time of year, we don’t take a second to think about how some people might be struggling while we’re enjoying ourselves. I think with the era we know in we forget about human interaction and actually taking some time out of days to check on the people around us, basically what I’m trying to say I think is we can become quite selfish.

This isn’t the case for everyone though I know this, some people are generally so lovely that they go and check on their elderly neighbours or just generally the elderly generation but then we have the other side who get caught up in their own lives but I also know that some people could be going through a lot themselves so it isn’t always that easy.

What things could you do to help others –

If you know someone who is lonely during this time of year, here’s a few things I think you might be able to do to make it a little less lonely time –

• Check on your family, friends and neighbours.

• Send someone a card at Christmas so it feels like they’ve been thought of its small things. ( in our family we send all of our neighbours Christmas cards and I love it and they return them)

• Invite them around to spend Christmas with you.

• Find your local charity and help out.

• something as simple as pick up your phone and call someone and have a chat.

• Talk to people in the street.
• If you’re also spending Christmas alone, why not invite them around and spent it together because actually, you might form a friendship for life.

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.” – timetotalk19

Conversion starters –

I know that for some people they find it really awkward starting a conversation with someone who they don’t know very well and I totally understand this because I’m a naturally awkward people when it comes to talking to people in person or over the phone. So I thought I would give you a few conversion starters and topics to talk about which might help you to interact with new people.

• How has your day been?
• I hope you don’t mind me talking to you, but I just thought I would check in on you.
• Are you looking forward to the Christmas holiday?
• Are you spending Christmas with family & friends?
• What have you been doing today?
• What are you into watching on TV at the moment?
• How’s the cat/dog? ( If they’ve got one)
• What did you do as a job? (especially the elderly generation love talking about there past and giving advice)

I’ve spoken a lot about the elderly generation feeling lonely during this time of year but actually young people actually struggle at this time of year too but in actual fact, anyone can struggle at this time of year it doesn’t matter your age. If someone is lonely they are going to feel as if they are a burden on you so it might take a while for them to open up to you but you just need to make them feel like not a burden and that you’re happy to listen and help.

So if you do one thing this holiday please go and check on your family, friends and neighbours. I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and new year !! Enjoy yourselves but also please remember to stay safe & well.

Do you get lonely at Christmas? Do you like Christmas? What are you looking forward to the most about the month?

Thank you for the support as always, If you enjoyed this post please like and comment and follow. If you would like to help me to make my website self-hosted then please use the link, it would be greatly appreciated https://ko-fi.com/D1D4V3G4

Until next time 😊