Merry Christmas from Deeside.com

Merry Christmas to all of our readers!

Christmas Day is upon us once again, and for those of us fortunate enough, the festive period is a time to spend with family and friends.

For some, December 25 is just another working day – thanks to working in our emergency services (such as fire, police, and ambulance) who will be on duty today, as they are 365 days of the year.

Also to NHS staff working in hospitals and on call and those who work in the private care sector.

Volunteer rescue teams such as NEWSAR, the North East Wales Search and Rescue Team, and Flint-based HM Coastguard and RNLI will be on call throughout the day – as they are every day.

Council workers and utilities engineers will be on call today, keeping the roads clear and the power on.

And don’t forget the many others, particularly in the hospitality sector, who will be working today.

Not everyone is able to spend time with loved ones or enjoy a home-cooked dinner, spare a thought to those less fortunate, who may be homeless or spending Christmas alone.

While Christmas is a joyful time of the year, filled with festivities, food, and parties, it can also be one of the hardest times of the year for many, especially this year given the cost of living crisis.

Thanks to our readers, for your continued support over the past 12 months, without your story submissions, tweets, tip-offs, and general ‘banter’ we would struggle to exist.

So, to everyone – no matter where you are or what you are doing today, have a very Merry Christmas.

Cheers 🍷

Deeside.com

Samaritans

Samaritans are open 24/7 for anyone who needs to talk, call 116 123 (freephone)

Samaritans also have a Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day).

Samaritans’ helplines are open every day of the year.

• Samaritans’ Christmas coping information