I know some people that find this time of year so enjoyable and they love the hustle and bustle. However, I know other people who are the total opposite and hate this time of year, they get stressed and they cannot stand everything that they need to do. How do you feel about this time of year? Are you relaxed and have everything planned or are you one of those people that dread this time of year and are thankful that is happens once and year and when it is all over? There are so many things that can mean we struggle over this time of year, we have to be social, we have to buy gifts, we have to be nice, we have to be happy but for some of us when we are struggling already it can just get on top of us.
This time of year can be hard for those people who find not having the normal routine to follow, those who have lost loved ones, those who have had family arguments, those struggling with depression or anxiety, those sick or unwell, those in hospital, those having a breakdown in relationship. It can be really hard for those people on a normal day but then when you put Christmas into it, it can be harder. There are so many expectations surrounding this day that it can be hard and it can be frustrating to try and be happy all day. There is financial worries, the pressure of everything being perfect, being tore between family members. Everyone at this time finds life stressful but when you add on a big date in the calendar it can be even worse and things will happen that we don’t expect.
I am one of those people who loves the lead up to the day but cannot stand the day and the emotions. I find it hard to be happy when things are not going well, when people are not happy, when presents haven’t been delivered, when there is a change of plan. It can be hard work and exhausting. I want it to be perfect and now we are splitting our time between two families it can be even more hard work! We have two sides to keep happy, we have two sides to buy presents for, we have two sides to have Christmas with and sometimes it can get too much. However, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would prefer to have lots of family around rather than none, I would prefer to see people rather than be alone, I would rather get lots of presents for others than none, I would rather have family than none. Christmas is a time to celebrate and put pressures and fall-outs to one side.
Christmas can be and will be hard for everyone involved especially if there is bad undercurrents involved. Christmas should be a time when we celebrate with family and friends, a time when we catch up with those people we have not seen all year, a time when we have fun and laughter, a time when we treat other people. It can be hard but at the end of the day it is only a couple of days where we have to put on a mask and it can be hard. We all try our best and some years it is harder than others and we need to understand that and help other people around us who are struggling, take time to see your struggling neighbour, give a present to a child in foster care, bake a cake for the lady across the road, give someone your old Christmas tree from last year. This is the time of giving and there is so much that we are able to do to make other people feel better about themselves and the situation. We should not expect anything back but instead be grateful for all the things we have and for the fact that we are able to give some things away.
You know what this time of year is like for yourself, you know the best present you got last year, you know how you are feeling now but you don’t know what other people are going through. Instead of judging them maybe it is time to give them your time and give them the best present you can without them feeling bad. At this time of year we remember the best present that was given to us, Jesus Christ was born of a virgin and came to this earth as a baby so that we can live forever. Life is not the same without him in it…can you spread this good news to other people around you?
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