COLUMN
CREDIT: Luke Palmer / Public Domain MAGDELEINE
If there is any aggro at some point during
your stay with family, the only way to deal
with it is to not argue back. Don’t give them
the satisfaction of rising to the bait. Plus, if
you end up in an argument, the rest of the
family may not look favourably on you. The
best way to deal with such a situation is to
physically remove yourself from the
situation. Go to another room, go and help
your Nan peel some sprouts, take the dog
for a walk. Anything to get yourself away
from the argument. Nobody needs an
argument at Christmas and frankly you are
better than that. At least that’s what you
should tell yourself.
Being Alone at Christmas
While it’s great to have the opportunity to
see family at Christmas, that’s not the case
for everyone. There are some families that
are so unaccepting that it’s impossible to
visit them. That of course can lead to the
very real prospect of facing Christmas
alone. Most people don’t want to be in that
situation, so here are my top tips for
ensuring you’re not lonely this Christmas:
1. Are any of your friends in the same
situation? Perhaps you could spend
Christmas with them. You’ll
understand how each other feels, be
able to keep each other company, but
also you will probably end up having
a really lovely day.
2. If there isn’t anyone you’re able to
spend Christmas with, see whether
there are any charities that are
providing Christmas activities. For
example, the LGBT centre in
Birmingham had a Christmas day
THEGAYUK | ISSUE 17 | DEC 2015 113