To wish people would stop ordering people to volunteer on Christmas Day

[throughthedeepdarkwoods]

When people say they are alone for Christmas they are often referring to the full festive period.

Volunteering is a good thing to suggest but it may be impractical, impossible or it may just make people miserable on a day they already find tough.

Can we tactically agree to stop flinging it out as the solution to end all solutions for every conceivable Christmas woe?

[throughthedeepdarkwoods]

Well Ditsy, you don't necessarily advertise the fact you'll be alone. Plus personally I feel a bit sensitive when I get an invite out of pity.

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

Does this mean there are a lot of unhappy, lonely people looking for something to do?

There's a fair amount of people who don't celebrate it but are off work because we still close down, as a country. And then yes, people who don't want to be on their own or don't have family or just don't celebrate Christmas.

I love Christmas but I'm orphaned so I'm always crashing someone else's or on my own.

[hopscotchegg]

Looking for something to do?

Not in the workhouse-y way this sounds.

[Matchingbluesocks]

Oh no course I'm not trying to argue. Just a bit surprised at the idea you can't make a special day alone if you live alone. But everyone is different

[starsorwater]

Throughthewoods don't imagine invitations are out of pity if you get them. We have an otherwise-alone person coming for a few days over Christmas-he was alone last year. We are really so happy to have someone a bit outside the family to be with us, it does get claustrophobic otherwise banged up with relations. He and having to walk the dog will be light relief for all of us.

But I can see that it will be very quiet for you, and I hope you are okay.