In his final column of the calendar year, the Tameside Radio presenter reflects on the different emotions that Christmas can evoke and tells us his three resolutions for 2023.

Amongst the twinkling lights and highly flammable cheap tinsel draped around offices, Christmas can be a time of enforced joy. I know this is probably not the feelgood start to my column you were hoping for, but amongst the retail hype, scented candle mountains and pigs in blankets, the festive season can be a difficult time for some. Their voices are often drowned out by Noddy Holder bellowing "it's Christmas" on the radio every couple of hours, but it's important to remember that a lot are struggling.

Whether it's worries about switching the heating on, the soaring cost of pretty much every food item on the shelves (except for sprouts, which have actually got slightly cheaper, apparently!), or the very real sadness of losing someone close, this time of year can be triggering for the emotions.

I'm absolutely not saying we shouldn't enjoy Christmas to its full. But whether or not you subscribe to a particular religion or not, being a good person is about showing empathy and remembering to be kind to those who are struggling. Be a friendly ear if someone needs it. Think of anyone who might be on their own, and check in on them. Pick up the phone and actually give them a call (so many ways to keep in touch now, and the good old fashioned phone call is often way down the list!).

The longest night of the year is behind us, and the evenings will begin to get a little lighter from tonight. St Margaret's Church in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, held a Blue Christmas Service on the longest night, in which there was silence, prayers, traditional Christmas hymns, comforting readings, and candle lighting. A spokesperson said: "The Christmas season is not necessarily a happy time for everyone. Yet it surrounds us - in the shops, on the radio and TV, on the streets of our town. It can be hard to escape and a painful time if you are lonely, bereaved, anxious or worried, unwell, missing a loved one, experiencing the heartbreak of a relationship breakdown, or have suffered the impact of the coronavirus pandemic".

I think the truth is we have all had a difficult few years. I'm not remotely religious, but one of the most spiritual experiences of my life was visiting a mosque in Bradford after my father-in-law passed a few years ago. The warmth and humanity shown to me was humbling.

I'm not trying to put a dampener on things. I guess I'm just saying take a moment to remember that not everyone finds this time of year easy. Try to put aside differences, and enjoy the little moments in life. Also, calories definitely don't count until 2 January.

It's the only time of year in which candy cane flavoured coffee seems genuinely tempting, and scented candles dominate the middle aisle in the supermarkets. Many will be working all through the holidays. I'm only off for a couple of days on Christmas Day and New Year's Day, but feel very lucky to be doing a job I love on Tameside Radio. It certainly beats a 'proper job', as I always like to say.

In terms of resolutions for the New Year, I'm only making three main goals. To read more books, to spend less time on social media, and to maintain my biggest achievement of 2022, which was to lose two and a half stone in weight. I feel so much better for it, and although I joked earlier about a liberal attitude to calories over the festive season, I really want to keep going with my healthier lifestyle. Doing a job that basically involves sitting down all day does make it a bit more of a challenge, but I've treated myself to a shiny new Fitbit for Christmas, and am hoping that I don't slip back into my old habits. Actually, I can't, as I've chucked most of my old wardrobe out!

Have a safe and peaceful festive season, however you choose to celebrate it, and thank you for reading this far. It means a lot.