It is amazing that the year is drawing to a close and it is Christmas tomorrow.
Christmas is a special time of year. For many it is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, while others simply enjoy it because it is a time for families to get together. Whatever you believe, it should be a time when you put the busy year behind you and relax.
As you spend time with your family these holidays, spare a thought for those who do not have anyone to spend the time with. Sometimes Christmas can be a terrible time of year for people. There are some very lonely people out there. If you know someone who is lonely, reach out to them at this time. Unfortunately for some in our community, there is no break and it is business as usual. Some people, especially police and emergency service personnel, are not able to get time off because they are too busy serving us. We are grateful that they sacrifice time with their families so we can be safe at this time of the year.
Safety is important over Christmas. Often the days leading up to Christmas can be quite frenetic and people rush off on holiday and go to lots of parties and functions. We all need to take extra care on the roads because any fatal accidents on our roads at this time would be terrible.
We also need to take care with our alcohol intake. Avoid becoming that unpleasant person who ruins it for everyone else. For victims of domestic abuse, Christmas can be a particularly bad time of year because money is tight, alcohol intake goes up and moods darken. Those people need to reach out to someone who can help and realise that they are not trapped, all they need to do is take the leap of faith. Anything is better than what is happening now. If you know someone in that situation, help them or tell one of the many agencies equipped to deal with these situations. This should be a special time of year for all and it is a time when we should be thinking of others and not just ourselves.
