The Naked Truth | Avoid the festive blues this Christmas: plan ahead, connect with loved ones, personalise your gifts – and remember it’ll all be over soon
- Christmas may be a quieter affair this year because of Covid-19, but this doesn’t mean that we can’t find alternative ways to enjoy it with those we care about
- Share the festivities via Zoom, write letters or make videos, plan ahead so that you can stay busy – and remind yourself the distance is only temporary
The festive season tends to put intense emotional pressure on those celebrating it alone. This year’s Christmas could be hugely challenging for many of us who are unable to spend it with our friends and family.
Christine Deschemin, a certified hypnotherapist and founder of the Hong Kong-based Renewed Edge Hypnotherapy Centre, says: “If there is one year when you need to plan the Christmas holidays, it is this one.
“Christmas is special because of a sense of togetherness. We ought to take a pause and allow ourselves to connect with others in a more meaningful way by reflecting on what makes this festive season special.
“Most people remember past Christmases for their big dinners or the gift giving. Underneath those rites is a longing for that feeling of togetherness, for the reminder that you are special to others and that others are special to you.”