HAPPENINGS

Rediscover Their Christmas Family

How Those Far from Home Can Rediscover Their Christmas Family

The true Christmas foundation is based on family love. However the feeling of not seeing familiar faces doing those comforting rituals often leaves you feeling adrift.

Most people, who are far flung from their families often get deprived from. This opportunity to celebrate this festive season with their loved ones.

They miss moments, especially the ones when the excitement and anticipation in the air were palpable.

The movement where they couldn’t eagerly wait for moments to open their gifts.

The memories of gathering around the Christmas tree with my family, singing carols, and exchanging gifts… all become a thing of the past 

Indeed, the family traditions that you used to celebrate might not come again. 

However there are other ways to maintain the true spirit and that is through quality relationships, acts of kindness, and bringing smiles on other peoples faces.

How Celebrating Christmas far from home almost gives the feeling of Christmas homelessness

Just as homelessness involves a sudden disruption of familiar routines and a loss of stability, being away from home during the holidays can create a similar sense of displacement.

The absence of familiar surroundings, traditions, and loved ones can lead to feelings of rootlessness and disorientation.

If you’re feeling unfortunate get this:

Last year, 2.3 million older people wished they had someone to spend time with at Christmas, and 1.6 million find Christmas Day to be the toughest day of the year.

These people may experience worse but your feelings are not that different from those.

So, even if you can’t be together in person with your loved one,try taking some time to connect with these people as well.

It’s a small thing that can make a big difference.

A personal anecdote

Jack, a good friend of ours, was always a town child. Growing up inside the bustling coronary heart of New York, he’d never felt the want for something greater. But because the years handed and his profession took off, he determined himself missing something. The familiar faces, the comforting smells, the traditions that had fashioned his adolescence. He realized he changed into missing his circle of relatives.

Christmas had usually been a unique time for Jack. The scent of pine needles, the sound of carols, the joy of unwrapping affords together with his cherished ones. But now, heaps of miles away in Los Angeles, he felt a growing experience of loneliness. He overlooked the warm temperature of his family’s embrace, the laughter around the dinner table.

As he stepped through the doors, a wave of unfamiliar scents and sounds washed over him. Yet, amidst the chaos and uncertainty, there was a palpable sense of community and resilience.

One Christmas Eve, whilst sitting alone in his rental, Jack determined to do something about it. He visited a shelter home, where he got struck by the warmth and kindness of a family exuding their love and warmth for thim.

They greeted him with open arms, their faces etched with stories of hardship and resilience. He listened intently to their tales, their voices filled with the echoes of past struggles and the glimmer of hope for a brighter future.

In the company of these strangers, Jack discovered a profound sense of connection. He realized that the true essence of family lay not in bloodlines but in the shared experiences. The empathy, and the unwavering support that bound people together. He found himself drawn to their stories, their laughter, and their unwavering spirit.

As they gathered around a makeshift Christmas tree, their faces illuminated by the flickering lights. In the midst of their shared struggles, they had created a family of their own, a family forged in the crucible of adversity.

That Christmas, Jack found his true family, not in the familiar faces of his past, but in the hearts of strangers who had become his companions in the present. 

He realized that the essence of Christmas lay not in the grandeur of celebrations or the lavishness of gifts, but in the profound connections that we forge with strangers who later become our families.

How to fight back that christmas homelessness feeling 

The Christmas season is all about how to be more generous, more forgiving, and more appreciative of the simple things in life. 

To pull yourself out from that christmas homelessness you can take time to connect with loved ones, share stories, and create new traditions.

Even if you’re far from home, you can still create your own Christmas traditions. You can 

  • Decorate your space, cook your favorite holiday meals, or start a new tradition with your friends.
  • Connect with family and friends through phone calls, video chats, or social media. 
  • Share stories and experiences that help you feel closer to them, even when you’re apart.
  • Volunteer at a local charity in some bunny wilburn shelter or food bank 
  • Attend a holiday market, try some local cuisine, or join in on a community celebration.

Combating Christmas Homelessness in Hope Community of Shalom

Nothing beats the feeling of celebrating Christmas spirit with those who are living a life without shelter and housing.

These are people who are just like your family, your loved ones who are also looking for the same love you’re looking for

A supportive community just like Hope Community of Shalom has been providing safe and secure housing options for those who don’t have basic necessities like food, clothing, and hygiene items. 

In addition to providing basic necessities, the Hope Community of Shalom offers a variety of support services, including counseling, job training, and life skills development

These services can help you address the underlying causes of homelessness and build the skills you need to become self-sufficient.

Combating Christmas Homelessness In Bunny Wilburn Shelter

The Bunny Wilburn Shelter has been instrumental in reducing the number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in the area.

Many residents of the Bunny Wilburn Shelter have successfully secured employment through the shelter’s job training and placement services.

The shelter’s focus on providing nutritious meals, healthcare access. And mental health support has led to significant improvements in the health and well-being of its residents.

The shelter’s presence has had a positive impact on the surrounding community. Reducing crime rates and fostering a sense of compassion and support for those in need.

Remember, if you can’t be together with your loved one, then reach out to those who are looking for the same. 

It doesn’t matter where you are, you can find ways to celebrate and feel the warmth of the season 

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May we be instruments of hope and love

We ask a blessing upon the homeless,
marginalized and underserved in our midst.

We remember our sisters and brothers—adults,

families, children– who are living with

no security, no shelter, and no safety from

the outside world.

Help us to provide extra warmth, peace and

opportunity for a better life. May we

supply nourishing food and drink that

their bodies may be nourished.

May we open our hearts and our hands to ease

their worries and provide hope where

there is no hope.

Through the giving of our time and our treasure,

may we demonstrate our love and pledge

that people on the street shall never be

forgotten.

May I offer compassion to those in need and

never miss an opportunity to work towards

ending poverty and homelessness so that no

one will live in want or in hunger.

The Christmas People