EEK! Christmas is just over a week away! All your hard work is about to come into fruition to make this Christmas feel just as special as any other, even if it looks and feels a little different this year. We all deserve it after a hard year, and we all need some festive cheer.
Many families will still be separated this year, and many people stare down the barrel at a potentially lonely Christmas. Depending on the restrictions in place where you live, maybe you will be able to celebrate with neighbours or local friends if family is not nearby for either of you. And although it may not be quite the same, perhaps it will be refreshing to spend the holidays with fresh faces.
Perhaps including our friends instead of just family will become a new tradition. Maybe getting out of the old familiar routine could introduce us to fun new ways of celebrating that we never thought of before. These are the sorts of things that plant the seeds of change.
However, each year, and this year in particular, most of you will know someone facing the prospect of a pretty lonely day. I have in fact posted about this before, but maybe if you too are less busy due to isolation, border closures and other restrictions, this will be the year you have the chance to make a change.
This could be the year you have time to phone a friend who is alone after the Christmas morning rush and before the lunch and dinner begins. It could be the year you have the chance to make a meaningful slideshow of yourself and your friend set to Christmas tunes to show you are thinking of them? Maybe it will be the year you finally have time to send a Christmas cracker joke or 2?
Or maybe this year you are just as busy as every other year, in which case, as with my other post planning is essential. Pre-prepare said slideshow and send it on Christmas eve so they wake to something special on Christmas day. Pre record a video of yourself talking about your friendship, your favourite memories and thanking them for being in your life. Acknowledge that Christmas is going to be hard for them this year and you wanted to try and bring some life into it for them. Send it after lunch. Set a reminder in your phone.
Your friend who is alone may not have much to do, so create a word puzzle where the letters not found spell out a secret message, and make that message lead to another puzzle, like open your email. In the email you could attach another puzzle, a recipe you know they will have the ingredients to make, a link to an online story or book, or instructions to them to record you a video of themselves doing something hilarious. Whatever fits your friendship.
What is important is giving your friend consistent attention throughout the day in ways that don’t cost you too much. If you have time for a long phone chat then absolutely do it, however if you don’t have time, it is a good idea to make up for in effort what you can’t offer in time. Your friend will appreciate the effort even if the execution goes a little awry!
I think these little pre-planned gestures go a long way in showing your friend you cared, without making them feel like a burden or a charity case. It is important they know this comes from a place of caring and not pity. This is especially important if your friend often spends Christmas solo, as he or she likely has their own routine of how they like to spend the day and too much intrusion may not be welcomed.
If it is you who happens to be spending Christmas alone this year, send this article on to your friends! Haha
By the time I write again it will be Christmas Eve. So I hope you have a wonderful holiday no matter how you spend it or who you spend it with and you get a chance to see your friends and family soon.
Happy Holidays Folks!
❤ Love,
Your Best Friend ForNever
xx
