Dear readers, I want to wish you all a very happy and merry Christmas.
Christmas is a very busy time of year full of strong emotions, both happy and sad. Joy and arguments can be felt louder.
Some of you woke up surrounded by wrapping paper, excited children, pets eating bows, and a sink full of sticky mugs. You’re happy, but exhausted and maybe a little overstimulated. If that’s you, I hope you’ll take five minutes of peace. Sit down with a coffee, go outside for some cool air, or just stare at the wall if you need to. Mess up means life happens, not that you fail.
Some of you are facing your first Christmas after losing. Their chair is empty. Their ornament is still in the box. The traditions you once loved now feel like they belong in someone else’s life. If you’re there, I’m sorry. On days like these, sadness is loud. There is no “right” way to enjoy the holidays. If you build a tree, that’s fine. If you couldn’t stand it, that’s okay. Tears at the table won’t spoil Christmas; they are proof that love was real.
Some of you do the complicated family dance with the relative who drinks too much, the one who comments on your life choices, the sibling who still knows exactly how to push the buttons. If you’ve set boundaries this year—arrived late for dinner, left early, or decided not to go at all—please don’t fight just because it’s December 25th. Protecting your peace is not “un-Christmassy”. It’s self-respect.
Others are alone today, not by choice. Maybe the kids are with their other parent. Maybe you’re newly divorced, newly single, or just a long way from home. Maybe your plans fell through. If your day is quiet, please don’t mistake it for failure. A “small” Christmas can still be meaningful. Light the candle. Cook something simple that you like. Watch a movie that you don’t have to negotiate with anyone about. You can create a vacation that matches the life you actually live.
And to everyone working today – nurses, doctors, paramedics, carers, hospitality workers, delivery drivers and many others – thank you. While some people are arguing about who carves the turkey, you are keeping people safe, caring and connected. What you do is more important than most of us ever see.
At its core, Christmas is a story about light appearing in a very ordinary, imperfect place. Not a perfect house, not a perfect family, not perfect people. Just people—which means you don’t have to have a magical movie moment today for it to count.
If you are happy, share it. If you are in pain, be gentle with yourself. If someone attacks you, send an SMS. People don’t need perfect words. They just need to know they haven’t been forgotten.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me into your living rooms, group chats, kitchen tables, and your rough days this year. It’s an honor.
I wish you one true moment of peace, one hearty laugh, and one reminder that you matter more than you know.
“How can I forgive my cheating partner?” it’s out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology—featuring popular columns on marriage, infidelity, communication, and reconciliation—is available in paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.
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