Festive windows reveal life at Christmas

We see the Christmas lights and twinkling trees taking pride of place in homes. We see the nativity plays in full swing. 

Christmas 2024 is well and truly on its way. 

We know that presents have been bought, lovely food has been purchased, and that time is being planned for togetherness with family, friends, and colleagues. 

This can be a time for business owners and professionals to reach targets before setting new ones for 2025. 

But we see the parents balancing a career with family commitments, leaving them fighting internal battles, conflicted over where they need to be. 

(We need to be guiding children through a time when life expects them to become budding actors. With hope in their eyes they will look at a crowd of strangers, wishing that a friendly face will smile at them, encourage them). 

We see the serving families, the presents that have been wrapped. We clock the time spent travelling back to spend precious moments with family, to answer questions. 

We know you’ll keep that smile until you are alone and that the tears will fall. 

The foil that covers a plate of hope, wishing you had arrived home on time to celebrate, the checking in to make sure you are OK while you support others. 

We see that for some, Christmas will be lonely. They have lost a loved one or a family pet. A relationship may have ended or a career been halted. 

Grief is a unique journey that becomes part of our life story. Working through your pain in your way and understanding grief will allow a new everyday life that will bring happiness again. 

 

 

 

For some, the festive period brings with it a sense of being overwhelmed. They might find themselves in a room full of people but feel like they are merely looking in. 

Christmas, with all its expectations, can be demanding, but it is OK to have boundaries in place. You need to look after you. 

Here are a few ideas for navigating Christmas 2024. 

 

 

Let's all take the time this Christmas to check in on family, friends, or colleagues. 

Giving time will make Christmas 2024 one they know you care. 

Here are some important numbers that might prove useful for you or someone you know.