Dreaming of a Not Being Alone Christmas
For some people, Christmas is a time of dread and pain. They usually remember the good time, maybe last year or maybe 20 years ago. I think the memory of those good times make it even harder. People often suggest to them to go volunteer for a soup kitchen on Christmas day or something like that. That’s not a bad idea except, for many people that are alone, their alone because they don’t relate 
to people very well. They may be very shy. It is likely that the loneliness leaves them with the feeling that others don’t want to be around them. That makes volunteerism difficult for many. If they can get past that, doing something productive, giving to others really can help one feel less alone or at least take the bit out of it. Giving to others can give someone a reason for being, it can bring a peace. Again, many people that are alone for Christmas are alone the rest of the time too, Christmas just makes it extremely difficult. I’ve witnessed some extreme Christmas pain by some people during the Christmas season, especially on Christmas day.
Suicides go up during Christmas, people seem others surrounded by family and friends as they sit at home, alone. If they watch TV they see more people having fun and wishing them a Merry Christmas over the airways. In some cases, this can just increase the pain. I’ve seen it draw an angry response. Suggest they treat themselves to a movie. Most theaters are open Christmas day.
Is there anything you can do to help these people? Yes. They may be the slightly odd guy down the street that’s often outside watching people. The old woman or the old man, perhaps their family is all gone. Maybe you don’t want to contact them directly. Then leave something at the door, do it anonymously. Put a note in their door, just say something like “from someone that cares.” Some kind of Christmas food might be good, cookies? But, maybe he’s diabetic. Try to find something as neutral as you can. Even a card left at his door, if at all possible, put their name on it. Otherwise they may think it wasn’t meant for them.
Find the way that is best for you. I think it is less of a problem in the Philippines, families here are almost always close. If you’re in Cebu City or other large city it would be a great time to take something to the homeless people. In the USA, it is a problem bigger than many people realize.
Remember, you’re not doing this for you, you’re doing it to possibly completely turn around someones pain during a time when the pain can be devastating.
Tagged with: Christmas
Filed under: Holiday
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Thanks for the reminder, Rusty. Nice post. Nice Christmas post.
Nick Nichols’s last blog post..The ERC and Darkspots
Thanks Nick. I thought it was Saint Nick till I looked at your website and saw that really is your name. :)
Are you in the Philippines for Christmas?
As previously mentioned, I’m a late comer to this site (or blogs for that matter). I just want to say, here in Oz, x-mas is a time for family reunion, catching up with relatives. But many Filipinos here find it very lonely, especially the newcomers. I’ve heard one Filipina describe x-mas here as like the All Souls Day in the PI (Nov 1 every year). I’m used to it now, but when I first came here, x-mas made me more homesick and depressed. While it is true that in PI you are surrounded by family, you would also be under pressure to provide presents. Call me sceptical or what, but I sometimes think families choose their children’s godparents according to the godparents income or social status.
Gift giving is totally different from what we do in the US, no doubt about that.
It took me a while to get my head around the idea that those having a birthday are the ones to give a gift.
I understand it now. Its related to respect, like much else here.