The happy scenes of Christmas we see in the movies often don't reflect what's going on at home.
Many families get really stressed out at Christmas. Here are some of the reasons why:
In the run-up to Christmas, adults are often really busy at work. They have to balance this with getting all their food and present shopping. It can leave them short of money and short-tempered.
Many families don't spend much time together throughout the year and they find it hard to cope when they're all thrown together at Christmas.
Relatives you see rarely and have little in common with often turn up at Christmas, which can lead to bad feeling in the house.
Adults often drink more than usual at Christmas. This and all the other stresses can lead to arguments and even violence.
Many kids' parents are separated and they have to split Christmas between two homes. Their parents' relationships are often not good, which can be really upsetting.
Some kids live in difficult circumstances. They might be homeless or living in poverty. There are loads of asylum seekers in the UK and many kids will be spending their first Christmas away from their homeland.
Why Christmas can be unhappy
