Suicide rates rise in January. Christmas may not be a jolly holiday but rather a painful reminder of sad events and personal disasters We've managed to move from a religious celebration for Christians to a society-wide orgy of gluttony. Turning this Santa Claus parade around takes effort and imagination. But there is hope. In many churches throughout Canada, for example, there is a recognition that Christmas can be particularly difficult.
Services are generally quieter, candle-lit and gentle.
There are small movements of people who want to reclaim Christmas Personal disasters, like divorce, offer an opportunity to look again at our attitude toward celebrations. It's an important time for me, and I was going to be alone. I decided that a party was important. Since I didn't have any decorations, I made it a tree-decorating party. We strung popcorn and cranberries, I made eggnog with an old family recipe and put on a big spread.