Think of your families at this time

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, no doubt, but there's also an awful lot of hype around it.

Commercialism runs rampant, and there's no watching television without being assailed with advertisements featuring Santa, snow and penguins - and all this during the Southern Hemisphere's summer months.

It's a time for loved ones to get together, and a time to reflect on the year past. For many, it's also a chance for some well-earned time out to refresh and recharge the batteries for 2012.

But there's another side to the festive season that often tends to get buried under the annual avalanche of tinsel and wrapping paper.

Aside from the basic hassle of simply finding time to make all the right preparations for the big day, more and more families are finding it tough to meet the financial stresses of the season.

Sadly, in many cases, that pressure proves to be too much to bear.

In today's Chronicle, Jigsaw Whanganui co-ordinator Tim Metcalfe issues a public appeal for people to look after their families this Christmas.

At the same time, Women's Refuge chief executive Heather Henare again raises her organisation's concerns about the traditional spike in domestic violence around the festive season.

The messages are well-worn, but no less potent, or important, for that.

As the pressure builds, it's all too easy for people to snap and lash out at those closest to them, be it physically or verbally.

Throw alcohol into the mix at what is traditionally a social time of year, and the combination can be deadly.

It's often said Christmas is a time for families.

But those are nothing more than hollow words unless we actually do something about it.

So this year, wherever you are, please take some time out to think about those closest to you, and how they might be coping this festive season.

And if you're struggling to keep on top of things yourself, don't be afraid to ask for help.

After all, there's a reason it's called the season of goodwill to man.

Feedback: editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz.