Christmas is solidly upon us. The streets are aflame with flickering lights, and most of us have decked our homes for the season, as we are just one week away from the big day. For many this is a special time, which they look forward to all year. It may mean a return to a kind of simplicity, or a window onto a nostalgic more innocent past, where values of family and kindness elicit beautiful emotions.
But unfortunately, sometimes the festive season exerts considerable pressure on society to fit in to a certain expected standard and norms that might not be attainable by all.
If during the year we talk about how capitalism and social media are constantly asking us to consume and behave in a certain way and engage in a certain lifestyle – well Christmas time can be all this on speed, as the dial is turned to a hundred, while it’s condensed into a relatively short period of time.
Christmas time comes with a code of conduct, to which we are expected to adhere if we are to fit in. There are the parties and events, decorations, gifts – there’s even a uniform which often takes the shape of the ugliest most colourful woollen abominations ever conceived by humans.
But all this tends to be a trigger for other aspects of pressure which go beyond stretching one’s financial capacity beyond its healthy limits.
The festive season is known to be exceptionally stressful for persons who suffer from solitude. While many of us have families we are happy to reconnect with, and share presents with during this time, many members of our society are not as lucky.
Persons who may have lost significant members of their family such as spouses, children or parents may find this time of year especially painful to cope with.
A study by the Faculty for Social Wellbeing within the University of Malta published a study on the subject, exposing some worrisome figures which would be ill-advised to ignore.
38,000 persons in Malta declared they did not have a positive outlook for the future as they lacked an optimistic view of life.
More than 75,000 persons said they had lost their sense of purpose in life and felt a great void. Nearly 35,000 people said that they lacked someone they could depend on in their life, in time of need or particular difficulty.
More than 50,000 people couldn’t mention a best friend with whom they could share their inner most feelings, while more than 100,000 people admitted they missed having someone they could share such feelings with.
Figures like these, in shiny, pumping, tiny Malta are somewhat chilling. They shed a light on a reality which may be hidden away, as people make an effort to portray a different image of themselves, so as not to be seen as outsiders.
It is only natural to surmise that these challenges get all the more acute during the festive season when we are surrounded by cheer and laughter. Happiness can also be an impossible (or exceptionally difficult) ideal for some of us going through loss, pain, or issues of mental health.
My wish for this festive season is to remain mindful of those in our society who might not be going through the most wonderful time of the year and may need some extra support. Let’s be careful not to create undue pressure, of any kind, as people may be going through their own challenging times. Even better, let’s make it a point to reach out to old acquaintances and offer some of our precious time. It may be the best gift we can offer.
I wish the readers of the Malta Independent on Sunday a most holy Christmas and a great start to the New Year.
Alexander Mangion is deputy mayor of Attard