AS we get older, our lives become more complicated. More responsibilities arise, and it can make the holiday season turn stressful.
We look forward to the middle of the year, then suddenly Christmas is almost with us once again. And depending on what sort of 12 months it’s been, Christmas can be either full of joy or a sad time for many.
Many seniors look forward to the end of the holiday period, due to the rather hectic time that surrounds them. They are not used to rushing around, going here and there, and crave for a little peace and quiet.
Do seniors get a little sadder as they get older? Probably.
Health problems, disability or cognitive decline, among other things, do damage to the body and contribute to depression in some.
Society’s expectations can make Christmas harder to cope with, and feeling the pressure to enjoy yourself and look happy can be upsetting and is hard to avoid.
Sometimes you can feel let down or have an empty feeling in your life after the holiday period. Maybe, not realising it, you may have done too much, spent more time cooking, buying presents for everyone or just done a lot more than usual in this frenzied time.
If you’re a younger senior, the pressure of work at this busy time spoils the whole holiday period, especially if you drew the short straw and had to work over that time, thereby changing the whole dynamics of the family get-together.
Family is split, it’s different this year, and can play an important part in how you feel about the Christmas break.
There are some who hate the period of forced holidays, but not liking, or even hating Christmas is completely normal. Many people can’t understand that feeling – to them this a joyous period of time.
At this time of the year, movies shown on TV depict joyous occasions with happy gatherings and celebrations. But most of these shows don’t show the other side of the coin where some who are frail, living alone, no family and lonely, live out their days in isolation.
Are you led by tradition that says that the Christmas tree should go up for a certain period and pulled down at a certain time.
As we grow older, we often see a decline in our Christmas spirit. Does Christmas seem less exciting to you as the years go by?
A survey recently has put the number spending Christmas alone this year at about 14% of those over 65 years old. And I would think the dynamics would be changing as our society ages.
So, as you go about the holiday period this year, loving or hating the time, spare a thought for those who are by themselves.
This has been a different take on Christmas than is usually written about.This column will always try to give you something to think about, even if you aren’t in agreement.
So, have a happy Christmas and a safe new year.
