It’s a wonderful life: little things to make the world seem like a brighter place

It’s a wonderful life, but sometimes that can be hard to see. The holidays are often a difficult time for so many reasons: loneliness, grief and mental health issues can all make this time of year painful. Whilst it has been proven to be a myth that suicide rates rise during the holidays, the statistics are still alarmingly high. In the UK & Republic of Ireland, there were 6,859 suicides in 2018. That’s 18 suicides a day. Many more people are suffering in silence, and the world can be a difficult place to live in at times.

This holiday season, you can make it a bit easier for the people you love. Don’t mention how much people are eating or not eating and try not to mention your Christmas diets. You never know what other people are dealing with, so it could upset them thinking about weight. If you have recently lost someone (or someone you love has suffered a loss) don’t pretend it hasn’t happened. Talking about the person absent around the table can help make the loss easier – admitting you miss them won’t just help others who love them, but it will help you too. Those with mental health issues will not be instantly cured because of the holidays. Rather than expecting them to take part in the fun if they are feeling unwell, recognise that this time of the year can be difficult.

Here’s a list of things to make the world seem a brighter place and give you some more hope

Whilst I wish we could all be taken on a journey like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, there is not always enough magic to spare. So, instead, here’s a list of things to make the world seem a brighter place and give you some more hope.

A Dublin boy received hundreds of birthday cards from people all over the world after an appeal through media outlets. Fearing he would have to spend his fourth birthday without any friends, the young boy’s mother made a plea for cards. He received cards from the US, Philippines and more.

Ethiopia planted over 350 million trees in a day. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed led what is believed to be a record-breaking effort to tackle climate change. Some offices were even closed for the day in order to allow civil servants to help the effort alongside staff from the UN, African Union and foreign embassies.

A Malawi chief, Theresa Kachindamoto, annulled and terminated the marriages of over 3500 child brides. Having built a web of informants called “the mothers’ group”, local activities across the district’s 545 villages are monitored. When these children are released, Kachindamoto ensures the girls go back to school and gain an education.

The UK’s carbon emissions are at their lowest level since 1888, having fallen for the sixth year in a row. For perspective, this was when the first Football League match was played.

Apart from the amazing things that have happened this year and those previous, there is still more lying in the future than the past. Like a reverse Ghost of Christmas Future, I am going to tell you the amazing (and stupid) things that lie ahead.

There will be a Star Wars series coming out soon.

There will be more video games coming out on your favourite consoles with new characters and lore to explore.

There will be yet another questionable remake of A Christmas Carol to watch with your family.

There are people who love you

There will be another flurry of snow, a fresh load of snowballs ready to be made (and someone has to nail your best friend in the head).

There will be a new James Bond film soon.

You’ll find a new snapchat filter that becomes your favourite.

TikTok is slowly becoming the new vine and there will always be another compilation to watch on YouTube.

Supermarkets can make anything taste like anything now – they have peanuts flavoured like pigs in blankets.

Jack Whitehall is bound to bring out a new, questionable, comedy with his father.

There will be new Christmas lights to see next year.

The shops will be full of discounted chocolate after Valentine’s.

There are people who love you.