It’s that time of year once again—Christmas time! Baking cookies, shopping for presents, listening to Christmas music...it’s our traditions that truly make this time of year magical.

And is there any Christmas tradition more nostalgic and magical than watching a classic Christmas movie? “Home Alone” and “Christmas Vacation”...we all have our favorites because we all enjoy watching the craziness of a Christmas movie play out on screen. But, more often than not, that same craziness can end up playing out in our own lives—we struggle with things like identity and purpose—and suddenly it’s not so entertaining! So how do we survive the holidays when our world starts to play out like a Christmas movie?

All Kevin McAllister wanted for Christmas was to be left alone—until he got his wish. Faced with the true nature of isolation, Kevin started to change his tune…all he wanted now? His family back with him. But unfortunately for many of us, Christmas is a time of crippling loneliness and isolation that we can’t wish our way out of. How do we handle it?