How art helps us understand loneliness during the festive period

Introducing Charlie Kiely:

An undergrad at UoL whose going to be supporting CREATE and its research as part of AHC's skills and experience boosting initiative. His first assignment has been to create the below blog post. A quick and insightful read into how art can help us to understand loneliness.

A brief insight into how art helps us understand loneliness during the festive period

At a time where humanity is confronted with global crises like war, climate change, cost of living, and a pandemic, the world can be a lonely place.

A 2022 survey found that almost 50% of adults in the UK reported feeling lonely occasionally, sometimes, often or always (Campaign to End Loneliness). But loneliness does not discriminate – anyone and everyone can experience it, especially during the festive period. Therefore, since the season is upon us, this blog will briefly explore how art can be used to understand loneliness during the festive period.

While loneliness impacts people in different ways, it can be exacerbated during the festive season due to factors such as stress, grief, and feeling overwhelmed by what may seem like endless festivities.

Many welcome the return of Christmas markets, films, and lights each year, but it is easy to forget that the onslaught of festive celebrations can often be bittersweet for those who have lost loved ones they cannot hold or talk to anymore, are estranged from family, or experience the harsh realities of the season like cold dark nights without any food and shelter and financial constraints. All of these situations could lead to people experiencing loneliness and isolation at a time where there is, to some degree, what could be construed as a superficial sense of joy and connection. But that is not to say there is no genuine charm and unity to be found in the holiday season – after all, ‘love actually is all around’, but you just need to know where to find it.

Like me, you may question how you can reconcile with celebrating this time of the year while being aware of how much suffering there is in the world. Of course, there is no definitive answer, but I find peace and meaning in looking to art for the answers.

For example, John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1971 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) serves as a stark reminder of the previously mentioned global crises, encapsulating that bittersweet sentiment discussed earlier as a Christmas song that is uniquely a rallying cry for an end to war through its use of melancholically reflective lyrics with a hint of optimism. Given its call for peace and social unity, and the season’s association with loneliness, it is no surprise that it is still revered as a popular Christmas song that resonates with so many today.

Another example of art that is associated with the festive season is Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – a film that explores themes of loneliness and suicide as it follows a compassionate and generous businessman, George Bailey, who contemplates suicide before an angel arrives to reveal what life would be like if he did not exist. Loosely based on a short story inspired by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (1843), which is now considered a staple of the festive season, It’s a Wonderful Life poignantly reveals the complexities of being human and shows us how the festive period is an apt time for giving and reflection and being there for those in need and each other.

I hope you have found reading this brief blog post useful. Please get in touch with me at [email protected] if you have any questions or suggestions.

Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hannukah, New Year, another holiday, or none at all, I wish you a wonderful and healthy festive period. Please remember you are not alone and there is support available. You may find the following links helpful:

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/christmas-and-mental-health/christmas-and-mental-health/

https://www.samaritans.org/

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/

References:

Campaign to End Loneliness, Facts and statistics about loneliness, n.d. <https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/facts-and-statistics/>