‘Tis the season to be jolly… or maybe not. For some of us, festivals and holidays may mean a time of reuniting with difficult people, being forced into overwhelming situations, or feeling alone and left out of all the holiday cheer. We feel you, and here’s a little something for you. (The first letter is […]
‘Tis the season to be jolly… or maybe not. For some of us, festivals and holidays may mean a time of reuniting with difficult people, being forced into overwhelming situations, or feeling alone and left out of all the holiday cheer. We feel you, and here’s a little something for you.
(The first letter is for those finding it difficult to stay with family or friends during the holiday season. The second letter is for those feeling alone or apart from their loved ones during the festive season.)
To most people, holidays mean going home, being with friends and family, and feeling loved. But for you, home was never “home,” nor was your family any different. Maybe it is the memories of how ugly family get-togethers would turn when everyone assembled in one place. Perhaps it is the comments they pass and how shallow and disrespectful they can get. Maybe it’s just the overwhelm of it all! The preparations, the need to be happy, the chatter and hustles… phew, they can be truly exhausting.
It’s okay.
You do not have to force yourself to feel happy or joyous. Remember, you are loved. Maybe it is a little difficult to bear alongside the suffocation of going back to people and places you aren’t fond of. But, this will pass.
For starters, recognize that there is nothing wrong with the way you feel. Reach out to those who truly understand you and share what you feel. Learn a few grounding techniques if they may be of help. Try to do things that make you feel like yourself, even if you are around people and places you dislike. Communicate, if possible, when you are made to feel uncomfortable.
We know it is easier said than done, but trust us, it is okay, and this, too, shall pass.
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Holidays are a time to be merry, joyful, and happy. Joy, more often than not, comes when it is shared with your loved ones. But what do we do when those we hold the closest to our hearts are nowhere close to us in person?
The feeling of being distant from our friends and family during festive seasons can be miserable. The nostalgia of seasonal cheer in your home, the whole family uniting together, friends visiting, and the sheer comfort of being surrounded by all your loved ones in one place means so much to some of us. However, our jobs, education, and unforeseen circumstances distance us from where our hearts lie.
Though the loneliness and FOMO can be disheartening to deal with, remember that absence only makes love grow fonder. Thanks to technology, you can connect with your loved ones and celebrate together over multiple media. Try to connect with people in your immediate surroundings (colleagues, apartment friends, hostel mates) and recreate the feeling of home with them. Reminisce and take pride in your cultural and familial rituals with them.
Nothing can come akin to home, but aren’t festivals about “spreading” cheer to every place and person we know? Extend the warmth and love you received by enjoying the festive season with your newfound family/friends.
We wish you all a peaceful festive season ahead!
Writer: Nandhitha M
