I don’t like to have strong feelings of dislike towards anything really…except bad things of course. But December is a month I dread because of the abysmal behaviour I see every year. Just about as opposite to Christlike as is possible. We are already seeing an alarming increase in abuse with several appalling incidents this past week.
In almost every job I have had, December has been a particularly difficult time for a combination of reasons – staff absences due to illness, patients being more markedly more abusive than other times of year, people I know struggling with depression and the pressure of spending money on “stuff” – excessive amounts of food and alcohol, wasteful novelty gifts, or expensive items for demanding or brattish individuals. Hurt emotions when the anticipated gatherings are nowhere near as warm and welcoming as perhaps they had hoped.
My family and I are always glad to see each other, but as we often are working hard (many of us are in the health service or work as volunteers) and dealing with some of the most heartbreaking scenes at this time of year, it is a time of year when we truly need the warmth and comfort of each other. We don’t waste money in on the altar of commercialism though.
I am pretty sure there are many sectors besides the health service who seem to be under increased pressure in December. I am sure that it cannot be fun for retailers having to smile at impatient and irritable customers, only to be told off by management after a hectic week because their sales figures were not as good as 2018. It cannot be fun for those on the front line in the travel industry who have to organize stressed and weary travellers through stations and ports.
I am always so relieved when the stress and selfishness, consumerism and commercialism, darkness and despair of December are over.
Only then can I start to look forward to the days slowly starting to lengthen and spring and summer preparing to unveil themselves in all their glory.
Caramel 