We're told that Christmas is the best time of year. But the state of our world at the moment means it can be hard to enjoy.
You're lucky when you can experience the joy of Christmas. If that sounds like a funny thing to say, you are lucky. You know that there are less fortunate people out there who aren't looking forward to the 'festive' time of year. Every year, our attention is drawn to the homeless, the elderly, the lonely. And while we acknowledge it, we carry on with our seasonal jolliness.
Feeling joyful at this time of year shouldn't make you feel guilty - but if festive shame is a familiar feeling, ask yourself why. Is it because you feel sad for people less fortunate than you, but you don't do anything about it? Or could it be that you are feeling less fortunate then you may have been before, but you don't think you deserve to?
It's no secret that life has got a lot harder for people over the past few years. Despite utterings that the boom is back and even though the expensive shops and restaurants are overflowing every day, fewer people than more can make ends meet. There has never been a time when there wasn't a problem with homelessness in this country, but it is truly horrifying that whole families and people with jobs have nowhere to sleep at night because they can't afford the rent.
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This country has a disease. The symptoms are greed and selfishness. It's a collective mé féiner attitude that has made millionaires out of some, paupers of others and has squeezed the middle so tight, the life they assumed was ahead of them is a dream, shattered into tiny pieces.
Being completely honest, I realise that those reading Beaut are probably not cold and hungry outside, waiting for a phone call to say they have a bed. Nor or our readers those completely oblivious to the suffering of their countryfolk. But, you might also be having a hard time. Over the last three or so weeks, in the leadup to the start of advent, we've been inserting different types of content among our usual beauty and style articles. We've been giving tips on how to manage Christmas on a strict budget, how to keep your wellness in check and how to avoid overspending. Keep an eye out, too, throughout December for similar articles, created to help you stay afloat.
This Christmas, look after yourself. You can't look after your friends and families if you're not feeling well. And, if we all can, let's try to really start something in the New Year. If we put our minds together and decide to fight, maybe we can start the revolution this country needs.
