AIM to Get Better Blogs

  Aim to Get Better Blog December 2025 Why I'm Celebrating the Winter Solstice Instead of Christmas This Year Christmas and New Year have always been a difficult time of year for me. The image of   everyone having a wonderful time playing happy families, experiencing a magical sense of belonging from spending time with loved ones, has always reopened the deep wounds of being born into an abusive, dysfunctional family. As a teenager it was a time of feeling detached, suicidal and longing to non-exist. As an adult, the majority of my hospital admissions were in the months leading up to the festive season. After starting my nursing training aged 19, I chose to work every Christmas for over 20 years, preferring take new year off as a time of reflection and setting intentions for the future. But my disillusionment with Christmas goes far deeper than my family issues. For years I have felt such deep grief at how the Christian church has completely misrepresented the te...