CHRISTMAS is often portrayed as the happiest time of the year, but for many, it can be painful, distressing and unhappy.
A new workshop being run by Centacare New England North West aims to help those who dread the festive season.
The Christmas and the Happiness Myth workshop encourages participants to put their expectations of Christmas into perspective, while acknowledging life events which could have an impact around Christmas time.
Centacare NENW facilitator Kerry Shipman said Christmas was not always a fun and joyful time.
“For many people, it can be a reminder of their loneliness – this could be because of a death in the family, or they may have had a major falling out, changing the way they usually spend Christmas,” he said.
Mr Shipman said it was easy to be swept along in the hype of Christmas.
“It isn’t uncommon to feel like we’re being pulled into the Christmas machine each year – shops and catalogues dictate what we must buy to have a ’perfect’ Christmas, but we often don’t get the time to think about our real needs.”
The Christmas and the Happiness Myth workshop will run in Armidale tomorrow from 10am to 1pm.
It’s free. To make a booking or for information, call 6762 9200.
