As Christmas draws near, it’s hard to remember that not everyone feels the merriment of the day in their fingers and in their toes. Despite the repetitive ‘oh no, where have my parents gone?’ of Home Alone 15 (shouldn’t social services be involved by now?), the festive wrapping of presents (minus the chocolates you bought, Auntie Win wouldn’t like them anyway), and the leftover turkey menu- turkey dinner, turkey sandwiches, turkey casserole, turkey and rice, turkey chilli, turkey soup, Christmas for some is not a day of celebration.
Gone are the days of children being satisfied with a present of an alien in gunge or a round piece of plastic glorified by its name ‘Pog’. The stress and increased financial pressure of buying the toys of the year, the Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS Blasters or Kid Tough See Yourself Cameras, can prove difficult for some to cope with.
Deputy Director for Strategy and Trust professional Lead for Therapies at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Carol Brady recommends that if you’re struggling this year under financial pressure or personal circumstance that you should try exercise and outdoor activities (and if you need a reason to listen to her then the length of her title should be the deciding factor in itself). Exercise helps you stay healthy and is known to have a positive effect on your well-being even if it doesn’t feel that way after a three mile run.
We all know that a problem shared is a problem halved and Dr Carol Brady advises that talking to someone and expressing how you feel can also help to alleviate some of the stress this Christmas time. She suggests meeting with a friend or calling the Samaritans or SANEline to talk about any pressures you may be feeling.
So, don’t feel alone this Christmas. If you’re struggling with financial pressures, I always find that the homemade items go down better with my beloved ones… apart from the cakes. They never seem to go down too well.
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