Christmas

Christmas is usually a time for families to get together. But if a family member has died, this can be a very sad time. You might feel more upset as Christmas will bring up memories.

If you want to talk to someone about how you feel, Childline is here for you. You can phone us on 0800 1111, log in for a 1-2-1 counsellor chat or send us an email and we can help.

Read more about dealing with bereavement and when someone dies.

It doesn’t help if you’re feeling lonely or isolated when people keep saying it’s a time to get together with others and have a great time. If you’re away from your family or living in care, Christmas can be really difficult to deal with.

When you’re feeling alone or down, it's really important that you don't keep it all to yourself. Talking about how you feel to someone you trust will help them to understand. And it means that they can give you support.

If you don’t have anyone you can talk to, you can always talk to us on 0800 1111.

There are lots of reasons why your mum or dad might not be around at Christmas. Whether you live in care, live with another family, or have family members who work over Christmas, it can be difficult not having them around.

If you’re missing them, it can help to talk to someone you trust about how you feel. You may be able to talk to another member of your family, your carers or a teacher or friend you trust. If you don’t feel that you can talk to them, you can always contact Childline.

It can also be difficult if your parents have split up, as you might not be able to spend Christmas with all of your family. It’s important to remember that you haven’t done anything wrong. Talking to them can help them understand how it makes you feel, and they'll be able to reassure you about what’s happening.

Celebrating Christmas often involves a lot of food and drink. If you sometimes have a problem with food or eating, this time of year might make you worried about:

• eating too much (binge eating)
• not wanting to eat (anorexia)
• eating and then making yourself sick (bulimia).

If you start worrying about the amount you eat – or think you might have a problem with food – you can talk to a Childline counsellor about it - call us for free on 0800 1111. We’re here to help you whenever you need us.

Find out more about eating problems. You can also read more about how you look and how you can build up your confidence.

Christmas can be a stressful time for families. Parents might feel under pressure to buy presents and lots of nice food – even if they don't have much money. Families that live away from each other because of parents being divorced or separated might argue about arrangements for the holidays. Sometimes people drink too much alcohol and say or do things they shouldn’t.

It's normal for families not to get along sometimes, even if they're usually happy. If you’re worried about your family arguing, you could talk to your parents or carers about how you feel. They might not realise that you’re worried about the arguing if you don't tell them.

Read more about family relationships and how to deal with arguments.