Christmas

Christmas can be a stressful time for families. There might be arguments at home, or you might have to spend time with people you don't like.

Arguments can sometimes happen because people drink too much alcohol. If you're worried about your family drinking at Christmas we've got advice to help.

Not every family spends Christmas together. If your parents are divorced or separated you might spend time with one parent but not the other. Saying who you want to spend Christmas with is always okay, and it's not up to you to keep everyone happy.

No matter what's happening at home it's important to do things that help you to cope. Sometimes planning time when you'll be able to listen to music or message your friends can help. Remember that if things ever get too much you can always speak to Childline.

When someone dies, Christmas can bring up lots of memories of them. Even if it's been a while since they died. You could also miss someone because they can't be there. They might be in prison, hospital or not able to be there.

You might worry about feeling sad or depressed, or feel like you have to carry on. It's important to think about what's best for you.

If you're struggling because you're missing someone try to:

• talk about how you're feeling with someone you trust, like a friend or an adult
• give yourself time to remember the person you lost, you could talk about what you remember, write them a letter or look at photos
• not put pressure on yourself to behave a certain way, it's okay to show if you're feeling upset
• make new memories of Christmas, doing something you enjoy doesn't mean you'll forget the person you lost, but it can help make things easier.

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.

There might be lots of reasons you feel lonely or isolated at Christmas. You might be away from your family or feel like there's nobody you can talk to. Or you might have had bad experiences at Christmas before.

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 with someone you trust will help them to understand. And it means that they can give you support. Even if things have changed or you've had bad Christmas's in the past, there are ways to cope and feel better.

If you don't have anyone you can talk to, you can always talk to us online or by phoning on 0800 1111.

It can be scary spending Christmas in care or with a foster family. You might miss your parents, or be worried about what it'll be like. But you don't have to cope alone.

Ask your carers what will happen at Christmas. They can answer your questions about presents, what'll happen on the day or if anyone will come over. And you can tell them about any Christmas traditions you have.

It can also be difficult if you don't know where you'll be at Christmas. It's important to talk to your carer or social worker to find out what's going to happen and how they can support you.

If you're worried about talking it can help to write a letter saying what you hope for at Christmas.

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.