Out Here in the Feels #7: Blue Christmas ❄️
Welcome back to Out Here in the Feels, the newsletter where my creative pals and I dive into existential quandaries so you don’t have to.
I’m Francy. 👋🏼
This month, we’re asking “Why Christmas?” Last week we touched on family, and this week, I asked my correspondents what they might say to someone for whom Christmas is… just kinda sad. 😟
In my twenties, I used to decorate my van for Christmas. With a Santa hat on my head and the Christmas carols cranked, I’d drive around town like a candy-coated steamroller. It was my mission to brighten everybody’s season—whether they wanted it brightened or not! 😇
But this Christmas is different.
So I asked my correspondents what they’d say to someone who’s sad at Christmas because this year… that’s me.
“I can definitely relate to Charlie Brown looking around and thinking, ‘I should be enjoying this more!’"
That’s Zach Havens, a mortgage agent and Recovering Musician™ in London, Canada.
“For people bummed out by Christmas, my hope is they can step outside of their personal experiences and be thankful for the joy the season brings for others.” 🎄
Reading this, I thought of my nieces and nephews; everything’s still so magical for them. And Zach was right; it put a big smile on my face.
Autumn Jade Monroe, a ghostwriter and book editor in Nashville, TN, chimes in next…
“I’m a big fan of alchemizing pain into beauty. My biggest piece of advice is to sit with your truth and create something meaningful out of it. Whether it’s a song, a piece of art, or a holiday craft—externalizing our emotions through creativity always teaches us something.”
I’m embarrassed that I needed this advice, but I grabbed my guitar and let myself strum something for a while. And it helped a lot. 🤷🏽♂️
This season amplifies everything. It's a magnifying glass on our lives, challenging us to compare our hopes to our realities. But then, in the midst of all that chaos and melancholy, Christmas also invites us to share a cookie, a gift, or a song with our family (inherited or chosen) and hope for things. Like redemption. Or reconciliation. Or the newest Mario game. That’s okay too.
My answer to “Why Christmas?” is pretty simple. “It helps.”
This is Francy Planet, wishing you and yours a holiday season that’s either cheerful, lively, and joyous… or whatever you want it to be instead. ♥️
(Psst! If you’re in the feels this Christmas, please know that you’re not alone. The comments are open if you want to share.)
That’s it for this week’s edition of “Out Here in the Feels 🌒 with Francy Planet.” Very special thanks to my correspondents for being part of this conversation:
Autumn Jade Monroe is a bestselling ghostwriter & award-winning substantive editor in Nashville, TN. For information on her editorial services, visit autumnjademonroe.com or find her on Instagram.
Zach Havens is a mortgage agent, Instagram husband and Recovering Musician™ in London, Canada. If you’re in Ontario and in the market for a mortgage, find him at havensmortgages.com or on Instagram.
As for me, I want to take a moment to thank you for subscribing. I’ve got big plans for the new year; you’ll be seeing me release a string of brand new singles soon. In the meantime, you can find my debut EP of acoustic worktapes, Storyboards, wherever you get your music.
Stay present, 🎁
Francy Planet*
*If Francy Planet sounds made up to you, it’s because it is. I call myself Francy Planet because writing songs & telling stories has always felt like a different world to me; a world I’m still exploring. I spent years in rock bands, but you can check out my new solo project here.