Some will be lonely this Christmas

It’s a time to celebrate and focus on what’s truly important: family and friends. The gaudy decorations, pointless presents and over-indulgence are just an extension of that.

Unfortunately, travel disruptions mean that some islanders might not be where they want to be, or with whom they want to be, for the festive period.

With stormy weather forcing Condor to cancel sailings over the weekend and today, many carefully crafted holiday plans will have been left in disarray.

Cargo shipments have also been affected, meaning some parcels of last-minute presents arriving later than expected, although our beleaguered posties are doing their utmost to get them to their destinations before the big day.

It all brings home the fragility of our little island’s travel links with the wider world, especially over the winter months.

But as upsetting as it can be to have your plans thwarted, let’s not forget that there are people who dread the festive period for very different reasons.

According to an Age UK survey, Christmas is the loneliest time of the year for more than 1.5 million older people, with those who have been widowed feeling it the most. And young people are affected too – one in 10 children aged 10 to 15 in Britain is ‘often lonely’, according to a report by the Office for National Statistics.

While December can seem like a blur of parties and social events, it is a far from merry month for those who have no one to celebrate it with.

But as well as being a time of celebration, the festive period also heralds a period of reflection.

The past year has been marred by divisions, both in the UK with ongoing bitter battles over Brexit, and to a lesser extent in Guernsey, with rows over the future of the island’s education system, among other issues.

With the coming months bringing the possibility of tax hikes and an island-wide election, complete with warring political parties, it can be difficult to find much to look forward to.

So perhaps the best strategy is to approach the coming year much like a child on Christmas Eve – close our eyes, suspend our disbelief and hope for the best.