Just before Christmas, The Telegraph published a deeply personal article about choosing to spend Christmas alone after walking away from a painful family situation. Instead of forcing myself through tradition, I made a conscious decision to prioritise my own wellbeing, even though it came with discomfort, a lot of guilt and uncertainty.
Reading it, I was reminded how loaded the festive season can be. Christmas has a way of amplifying family dynamics, unspoken expectations and old wounds. For many people, it’s not just about celebration, but about boundaries, self-respect and making choices that don’t always look “right” from the outside.
