From a young age, we’re taught that there’s only one way to have a postcard-perfect Christmas, and that’s spending it with family—preferably around a fireplace or a piano bellowing out old show tunes. The reality for most of us tends to be pretty different. Despite this season being bloated with traditions, sticking to the same rituals is nigh-on impossible; loved ones are lost, lives move in different directions, and sometimes families fall out.
As a society, we seem to have accepted that under certain circumstances, not spending Christmas with your blood relatives is allowed. Christmassing with your in-laws is socially acceptable, but other reasons—like being estranged—are far less palatable. Just look at the furore Brooklyn Beckham caused when he supposedly unfollowed his entire family this morning. People on every imaginable social media platform have taken to the comment sections to condemn this move, despite admitting they know nothing of the decision behind it. When it comes to going no contact, everyone, it seems, has an opinion.
