To have to do an ‘Emma Thompson’ this Christmas?

Tears are falling reading your stories, life is so cruel and unjust sometimes. My life is probably a bit easier than you brave women but I am finding things hard since my mum died 2 years ago and my estranged brother attacked me a week after her death. The police did nothing and I live in fear from him. Mum didn't leave a will and his behaviour is linked to years of drug and alcohol abuse and a mistaken belief he owns her property.
2 years of fear, attacks on my property, and a protracted legal battle with him has affected my health - diagnosed with cancer 3 years ago and think it might have returned after initial successful surgery. Also facing major bowel surgery and a likely stoma.

I wish you all strength, peace and light going into 2026.

@bobadee you are a beautiful spirit, not only to struggle with your own heartbreaking issues but to acknowledge everyone's suffering takes a special woman. With love xxx

Dear Bobbadee
You are so gracious to think of all of us when your trials are so overwhelming. I m thinking of YOU tonight wishing i could take some sadness from you and also hoping you get little drops of pleasure amidst your pain over Christmas xx

I really can’t wait for this year to come to an end, it has been one of the most testing years ever, my health has suffered dramatically firstly broke my wrist so I haven’t been able to work since May and due to complications I have got to see a hand specialist beginning of January, I’ve had a very bad chest infection last month, now I have an eye problem along with eczema that has broken all out all over my face due to stress. My relationship came to an end in October after almost 17 years of being with my ex. My children will be with their dad on Christmas day as I had no choice but to walk out of the family home due to morgage being in ex name and it is my children’s home😥I am at the moment in temporary accommodation. I am having to put on a brave face every day when behind closed doors I am breaking down. I will be spending Christmas Day with my friend and her family. I won’t be seeing my children till day after Boxing Day. I have no family near by. I will struggle to get through Christmas Day and finding everything difficult on a daily basis , all the while having to put on a brave face when I do see my children and hold everything in and make out all is ok to anyone I bump into as u don’t want anyone knowing what has happened.

im sending hugs to everyone who is going to suffer or struggle and find Christmas period so difficult god bless you all x

I am so sorry for each of you going through such sad times. It’s hard to put on a brave face when you just can’t see any brightness. I hope the coming year brings better times for you all.

My husband is seriously ill and this may be his last Christmas, or at least his last Christmas with any cognition. 😢 trying to tough it out for the grandchildren’s sake.

Thank you, that's so kind - big love to everyone holding it together this christmas!

Dear Irotoyu that is the first thing I thought of.. why then.. as well as why at all, of course. Utter selfishness it makes me feel rage. He thought only of himself because everyone insanely thinks that Christmas is for them, about their pleasure.
This is why I find it such a dangerous time. I’m always bit relieved when it’s over.

I’m ET ing it this year because for the first time ever I have not heard from my son.. or his wife and three young children aged six to thirteen. I will ring him tomorrow and wish them a happy Christmas and pretend everything is normal. Luckily I have a daughter, who doesn’t have kids, so she and her husband and our two dogs are going to the beach. At least it’s not muddy at the beach. As they don’t have visitors this year… through death and family breakups.
And as I sit alone in my house on Christmas Eve I think of the times the house was full, mum up from London, cooking mince pies, relief that at last the shops were closed, so we couldn’t buy any more stuff, visitors dropping in, so many staying.. so quiet now.
The thing is I am not sure how my son’s family is, as his youngest disabled daughter has been in intensive care for much of this year and his wife and the other two beautiful daughters have all been diagnosed with a dreadful muscular dystrophy which affects their brain as well as their bodies. So much I don’t know. As he doesn’t talk about it. We’ll pretend everything is fine and wonderful tomorrow.

Wishing us all some comfort and joy at this very unreal magical but challenging time.
Xxx

I’m so humbled by what people are going through, it makes my troubles seem so small. Suffice to say I’m giving an Emma T worthy Oscar performance every day and have my ET moments in the shower where I can sob without being heard.

Sending love and strength to all of you.

To all the women on here holding the fort to make Christmas for everyone else, and holding in everything that they actually feel, whilst barely having the energy to stay on their feet...

Like ET you will get through it somehow because that's what we do, we somehow just keep going, until there is a moment for us to draw breath.

Take care of yourselves, even if that's just a moment sat next to the Christmas Tree in the dark. 2025 has been so difficult for so many good people, may peace and rest find you in 2026.

My dad had a stroke last Christmas eve. And he's just had a third one this Christmas eve. He's not expected to make it through the night. My nine year old is devastated. I'm so sorry for all of you going through similar ❤

Divorce, still living together and he's all happiness and light, had a go at me for being 'difficult and manipulative' after I objected to him taking the kids out all day to visit his sister as she doesn't get to see them much. It's bloody christmas eve, I want to spend it with my kids, if she cared for them that much she'd visit more than once every 18 months.

And he's fucked off to the gym and left me to deal with ADHD DS, massively excited and still not asleep. Who the fuck goes to the gym till 10pm on Christmas eve if they have young kids?!!!

So sorry to hear @Tillymint1234. It’s awful to have a confirmed cancer diagnosis… but not to have any idea about the prognosis. Sending you love and hoping that you get some positive news about treatment options.

I am ETing right now. We are separated and moving out in just a few weeks and I’ve lost my ability to smile and nod. I’m sitting in my bedroom. There is no Christmas spirit here, and I’m letting the kids down so badly tonight.

So sorry to read all your messages... not feeling it either... dd (dear dad) was diagnosed and treated for cancer for the past 3 years. The medication he was treated with gave him (side effect we weren't warned about) another more aggressive cancer which literally knocked the stuffing out of him... he had major surgery (over 12 hours long) in october... recovery wasn't going as planned... and he was then told he had a max of 2 weeks to live as it had spread to his bones and he had very little liver function left... he lasted 9 days... 10 days later my uncle was euthanised in Holland with dementia... 2025 has been HORRIFIC!

Reading all of these, I am left wondering why so many of us have to put on a brave face and soldier on. I wish it was more acceptable to say this is too much, I can't shoulder the burden of making Christmas lovely and great for everyone.

Oh my Lord. Please get a Rottweiler solicitor.

Thank you. We are not telling the grandchildren yet, we don’t want to spoil the magic of Christmas for them. X

That’s very raw for you. I am sorry

Mum died this morning. I will be putting on a brave face for family

There’s mothers dealing with divorce, cancer and toxic family, and this is what you’ve got to say.
Grim.

@EarringsandLipstick I was similar a few years ago, you have totally valid feelings.
Lockdown Xmas of 2020, and age 36, I started my 15th miscarriage on Xmas day. All I wanted to do was be on my own in bed, but we were in an area that could mix up to 6 as long as only 2 households, my granny lived with my parents and my sister with me and DH (supposed to be temporary to save up before she went travelling 🫣) so I had to put the biggest sanitary pad ever on and head out. It was shittest Christmas I ever had, hiding it from everyone, I told DH Boxing Day. My sister still doesn’t know about my infertility. But fast forward, and following 3 rounds of IVF, DS was due Xmas eve 2023, it felt like fate, he arrived 2 weeks early (narrowly avoided being called Noel) and things are so different.
I hope that you meet someone in 2026 and get to become a mum.

I’m ETing too. I separated with my husband in the summer. Christmas is very different thing year. I am grateful as I have fantastic teen DC and realise there is a lot worse than can happen but I’m so sad. I put up with so much to try and keep us together as I just wanted to be with him.

When you realise you married a cereal liar a life time ago and haven’t got the guts to go