We often hear that Christmas is a time for joy, a time for cheer. Yet when we pause, we may wonder—is it really the case for everyone?

Christmas carries many flavours of emotion.  

For some, it is a journey back in time, wishing for one more Christmas with someone they miss. 

For others, it is about recreating the magic of childhood memories. 

For some, it is a reminder of loneliness or of another year gone by.

Recently, while playing Snakes and Ladders with my children, I was reminded of how life moves: we slide down snakes, we climb up ladders, and somehow we find moments of joy in the process. Perhaps Christmas is like that too—an invitation to notice both the descents and the ascents, and to seek harmony amidst pressures, perfection, anger, sadness, and fears.

This season, may you find a small moment of harmony.  

Reach out to a lost connection. Curl up with the movie you’ve been meaning to watch. Allow yourself to rest, to breathe, to be.  

In the new year, I’ll share more about the metaphor of Snakes and Ladders, and how it can guide us in therapy and reflection.  

Until then—Merry Christmas, and may you find gentle joy in the spaces between.