Cupid

You are steady, so nobody is left behind. You keep an eye on the whole team, especially the ones at the back. You know who is tired, who is new, who is missing home.

You hold the group together with warmth. You are the reason people stay in touch, forgive each other and come back next year. You are not the fastest or the loudest, but you are the heart of the team. You make sure the reindeer who joined last week feels as welcome as the ones who have pulled the sleigh for years. When you are around, the whole team pulls more kindly.

You retie someone's scarf, refill a glass, sit down next to the quiet one in the corner. You introduce the two people you think will get on, and by the end of the night they are swapping numbers.

You give a toast, and you name every person in the room. You notice the friend who came alone and make sure they are never by themselves for long. You remember the host's mother's name and ask after her. You are warm, generous and full of love, and people feel it. By the end of the night, someone tells you that you made their Christmas, and you tell them they made yours.

You are the glue. You remember birthdays, you send cards, you check in on people who have gone quiet. You send the heart to the worried one in the group chat and then you call them.

You bring friends together and keep them together. You notice when someone has been left out of a plan and you make sure they are invited next time. You are the person people confide in, and you hold their secrets carefully. Sometimes you give more than you get, and you are learning to ask for more. When you do, your friends are thrilled to finally be able to look after you.

Their favourite paper, which you remembered, and a card that says something true. Your presents are full of love and you choose them with your whole heart.

You give the photo album of the year, the framed picture of their grandmother, the scarf in the colour they always wear. You remember the people others forget: the neighbour, the new partner, the colleague who is alone this Christmas. Your gifts are not always the most expensive, but they are always the most meaningful. People keep your cards for years, and they read them again when they need to feel loved. Some of them are pinned above desks right now.

Invite one person who might otherwise be alone. A neighbour, a friend far from home, a colleague. It is the most Cupid thing you can do, and it will make your day too.

Then let people love you back. Say what you would like this Christmas, and be specific. Accept the help, the gift, the hug. Give a toast, but let someone else give one about you. Take a quiet moment to remember what you are grateful for, and who. You make Christmas feel warm for everyone around you. This year, let a little of that warmth come back your way.