Thinking of those alone at Christmas

[Clariman]

If you are alone this Christmas, have a warm hug from me. I hope you have a pleasant day doing whatever floats your boat. If you are missing your loved ones through personal loss, self-isolation or travel difficulties you have my genuine sympathy.

I can't express these feelings from any deep personal experience but have had a glimpse of them this month. Ten days of self isolation when the rest of the world continued was difficult. And tomorrow it will be the first Christmas that I have woken up alone in the house. Just a minor thing really. We were due to spend Christmas Eve and the next few days with Master C and his family. However I am a little unwell. Nothing major but it prompted me to delay my travel while persuading Mrs C that she should still go so that she can see the grandchildren first thing. Hopefully I will be fine in the morning and I will still have the joy of seeing family on Christmas day. Even if I delay further, I know that I will see them soon and they are a huge part of my life.

There are others who have no family or are on their own for prolonged periods. Best wishes to you in particular this Christmas.

Clariman

[AsleepInYorkshire]

My Mum died peacefully on 1st December this year. I can't verbalise how I feel.

Thank you for the warm hug, Clariman.

My cousin who has lived at Mum's house for the last 32 years isn't very well. I know he's not well as he's staying at home on Christmas Day. Of course we'll visit him in the afternoon and shower him with gifts and company.

As you've alluded to, it's a very difficult time for those spending Christmas Day on their own. And for many the financial pressures are unbearable.

This year you've kept the unruly members of our community in order. A consummate diplomat. I hasten to add I know I can be unruly and I will reign that behaviour in as the New Year approaches.

I hope you are no more than a little unwell. On the upside you do get the remote to yourself.

Christmas is a time of conflicting emotions. A time when many cannot feel the joy or share the excitement. A time when limited finances punish many. A time when recent family deaths are just to painful to cope with.

My Mum hasn't left a void. She's left memories and legacies. I miss her, we miss her. She's not missing though. She's always with us. She's in our hearts.

Christmas Day is one day. There are 364 days left after that. All of which are at our disposal. Family and friends are vital to our existence. We need both. We need them all year round.

Kindness, care and love don't turn up just on Christmas Day. If we make the effort they will turn up all year. I need to work on this a little more.

Take care

AiY

[UncleEbenezer]

Bah, Humbug.

My best christmas was my first in Italy. I'd been there just under two months, during which I'd been intensively getting started with the job and the language, and finding a flat. So at christmas I took my first time out to go up in the mountains. My camping gear was still in transit from Blighty so I had no way to cook, and spent christmas day not merely in isolation - and the night sotto le stelle - but on a diet of bread and water.

[Clariman]

Bah, Humbug.

My best christmas was my first in Italy....

I'm glad that was a happy day for you, but I was really thinking about those who spend Christmas alone when it is not their choice.

Buon Natale Zio Ebenezer.

[servodude]

Bah, Humbug.

My best christmas was my first in Italy....

I'm glad that was a happy day for you, but I was really thinking about those who spend Christmas alone when it is not their choice.

Buon Natale Zio Ebenezer.

Can we also spare a thought for those confined in Xmas circumstances with those that they might be better off without?

The local news here in Hobart has just reported on a 52 year old lass stabbed to death in front of two teenagers a couple of hours ago, allegedly by her partner.

It's a wonderful time of year if things are going your way; not everyone is as lucky as us

-sd

[Dod101]

My Mum died peacefully on 1st December this year. I can't verbalise how I feel.

Thank you for the warm hug, Clariman.

My cousin who has lived at Mum's house for the last 32 years isn't very well. I know he's not well as he's staying at home on Christmas Day. Of course we'll visit him in the afternoon and shower him with gifts and company.

As you've alluded to, it's a very difficult time for those spending Christmas Day on their own. And for many the financial pressures are unbearable.

This year you've kept the unruly members of our community in order. A consummate diplomat. I hasten to add I know I can be unruly and I will reign that behaviour in as the New Year approaches.

I hope you are no more than a little unwell. On the upside you do get the remote to yourself.

Christmas is a time of conflicting emotions. A time when many cannot feel the joy or share the excitement. A time when limited finances punish many. A time when recent family deaths are just to painful to cope with.

My Mum hasn't left a void. She's left memories and legacies. I miss her, we miss her. She's not missing though. She's always with us. She's in our hearts.

Christmas Day is one day. There are 364 days left after that. All of which are at our disposal. Family and friends are vital to our existence. We need both. We need them all year round.

Kindness, care and love don't turn up just on Christmas Day. If we make the effort they will turn up all year. I need to work on this a little more.

Take care

AiY

I am sorry to hear about your Mum. I was wondering because of earlier posts.

Overall I am very grateful for your thoughtful comments. Well said and all the best to you and your family.

Dod

[AsleepInYorkshire]

I am sorry to hear about your Mum. I was wondering because of earlier posts.

Overall I am very grateful for your thoughtful comments. Well said and all the best to you and your family.

Dod

Thank you. We've had a very quiet day focused on our daughter who's 14, the mother in law and my cousin. Father in law fell in February and hasn't come home since. I've an extension to build on their home, next year, to give him the space to live downstairs as he has lost the use of his legs below the knee. I'll project manage the works at cost.

As I write my daughter is in the back garden tinkering with her new telescope. She's put it all together herself and is now trying to align it with the moon. It's proving difficult but she's not giving in ... and I'm not helping. I want her to understand how to deal with problems without saying "Daaad"

I'm not sure if you've spent the day with family or friends or have been a little less fortunate. I'd hope the former. Covid has been an issue for all of us. The impact has differed for each of us. Time waits for no one. I always look forward to your distilled point of view, thought provoking and on point. We have a great community here. I agree with Kiloran, some have left us to early. And that's sad.

They haven't left in order to hurt us. They have moved on. They are needed elsewhere. In the meantime we are needed here. Well I hope so

Take care

AiY

[Clariman]

Moderator Message:
I have moved Doolally's post about reasons for people leaving TLF to Room 102 here - viewtopic.php?f=21&t=32668 where any further site related discussion can take place. It was off-topic for this discussion which is about loneliness at Christmas. Thanks Clariman

[MaraMan]

My condolences AiY, my Mum died in the small hours of December 5th.

I have just come back from seeing my baby grand-daughter.

I am not a great monarchist but the Queen said it well I think. I paraphrase; life consists of final partings as well as first meetings – and as much as I and my family miss Mum, I know she would want us to enjoy Christmas.

I have supported many lonely and/or grieving people as a volunteer Samaritan, but the pain is not lessened.

MM