For many years, until last year, I worked over Christmas with people who were certainly not enjoying the celebrations. I worked with people who were poor, sad, alone, lonely, ill, mentally unwell, under arrest, homeless, and suffering almost any type of disadvantage you can imagine. I have done awful things which had to be done; for example I once took away two very small childen from a mother who loved them but was unable to look after them and left her in a house alone on Christmas Day. I went home to my family and wept for a system that left me no other options. And I can say absolutely that these situations felt worse to the sufferers and to me at Christmas because for weeks beforehand we are bombarded with messages telling us how wonderful this time will be.
I thank god for my family and the blessings I have had in my life. But I don't think anyone needs to apologise for feeling sad at Christmas, or should feel that they have to count their blessings. Just because someone else is worse off than you it doesn't mean you have no right to be sad and to wallow for a time if that helps. I hope all of you who are not enjoying this time of year, for whatever reason, will find some way to get through it and I wish all of us a happy and healthy New Year to come x