COLUMN
party for the community last year.
Although for the majority there
won’t be an LGBT centre nearby, it
may be worth seeing what is
happening in your area that you can
get involved in.
3. Being alone at Christmas doesn’t
have to mean you’re lonely.
Sometimes I think it might be quite
nice to have a Christmas at home by
myself. Then I can eat and drink as
much as I want, watch the television
shows that I want to watch, and
don’t have to deal with the
aftermath of a family who has eaten
sprouts with their Christmas dinner.
Sure it may not be ideal, but you’ll
be able to do the day in exactly the
way you want to.
General Anxieties
CREDIT: Public Domain SplitShire.com / Daniel Nanescu
So here’s the situation: You have a new
boyfriend and have agreed to spend
Christmas with him. Then you begin to
worry about buying presents for him. How
many presents should you buy? How much
should you spend on him? Will he end up
114 THEGAYUK | ISSUE 17 | DEC 2015
buying you more than you buy him and
make you feel inferior?
These are questions that I’m sure have
gone through many of our heads. When I
was spending the first Christmas with my
partner I really panicked about buying him
presents. His income was much higher
than mine at the time and I worried that
my presents for him would be paltry
compared to what he bought me. To
alleviate those worries, agree a budget. It’s
good to be upfront about what’s affordable.
For example, if your budget is only £10,
explain that and agree to only spend £10
on each other. More important than the
presents is the thought behind the gifts
and the time you’re spending with each
other. If you’ve found yourself a good ‘n’ he
will be fine with that. The same goes for
the other costs of Christmas such as food,
drink and decorations. By having that
conversation, your worries and stresses
should begin to alleviate.
I hope this survival guide helps and wish
you a Christmas of happiness, health,
festive cheer, and too many mince pies.