Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas.” For some people, this is easier said than done. The holidays can be a sad and depressing time for many. Reminiscing thoughts of deceased loved ones, empty nesters with no children at home, or just no close family to enjoy has caused many to dread the holidays. This is quite understandable, the holidays are not the same if you’re not spending them with the ones you love.

A few tips to help you get through the season include: 1) hosting a game night with close friends who may be similarly situated, what better way to uplift each other than to spend time with others who understand your situation and you theirs; 2) do not turn down invites to join another family at their gathering, if you do not have family close enough to visit with or you just are not close with your own family, sometimes spending time with others and their family can help fill this void. We are social beings interacting with others in a positive way during the holidays is a great way to combat loneliness and 3) volunteer at a shelter or other non-profit that serve the homeless, sometimes we may feel down and out and all it takes is for us to see someone else a little worse off than we are to realize that we are truly blessed. Oftentimes, we simply need to stop, look around and appreciate what we do have instead of focusing on what we do not have.