Home Alone at Christmas?

While reflecting that my wife and I are going to have a quiet Christmas together this year I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if it was just me spending Christmas alone. A short trawl on the internet threw up an article from the Daily Mail earlier this month which reported that:

Most elderly people think Christmas is overrated and one in ten of them will be spending Christmas Day alone, according to a survey.

It showed that the poorest were more likely to dread Christmas and more likely to borrow money for presents and celebrations. They were also more likely to spend Christmas on their own.

Sixty-eight per cent of them believe Christmas is overrated, compared with 54 per cent of the population as a whole. Eighteen per cent of Britons, or nearly one in five, say they dread Christmas.

And Research from Help the Aged has revealed that three quarters of a million older people in Britain regularly feel isolated and lonely, while one million are spending the Christmas period on their own. According to Help the Aged, a worrying half of the UK’s nine million elderly population claim that the television is their main form of company.

Please do visit anyone in Strathbungo who will be spending Christmas by themselves particularly those who are already vulnerable or unwell. Taking a pie or going with a family member (particularly a child) will reduce any stress or awkwardness from your visit. Small gestures can have a big impact on the health and wellbeing of others.

They may have specific concerns they need to talk over with somebody and may be in need of extra support. It could simply be of course that their family wasn’t able to make it to Strathbungo on account of the weather and closed roads and airports. It could be that they have not invited anyone because of the expense of hosting and giving gifts. And remember it is not just the elderly who may be spending Christmas alone. New comers to Glasgow and Strathbungo as well as the more introverted of us (and I include myself in that category) are also vulnerable to spending Christmas alone. Whatever the reason, it could be that you will be the only person your neighbour sees or speaks to at Christmas.

And if you haven’t seen someone for a few days when you would normally expect to see them, ask if a neighbour has keys and gently let yourselves in to check all is well.

If someone needs company do stay with them and make sure they are warm and fed. Invite them to your place for coffee or a meal. Or, if they are up for it, invite them to your Christmas party. If you know of someone in Strathbungo who would like some company but you can’t help, then let me know and we will organise for someone to visit.

Our aim should be that no one is alone at Christmas who doesn’t want to be alone.