One in three adults fear they’ll be lonely this festive period

Nearly one in three adults fear they’ll be lonely this festive period, research has found.

A study of 2,000 adults who celebrate Christmas found over the last five years, a quarter feel like their levels of loneliness have increased over the festive period – as 49 per cent worry about getting lonelier as they get older.

Unfortunately, 17 per cent will eat Christmas dinner alone, and 56 per cent won’t get the chance to update friends and family about changes to their life in the last year.

But to help combat loneliness at Christmas time, 37 per cent will send a thoughtful card and a third will invite a loved one they are worried about for a meal.

The research was commissioned by Hallmark, which also created a heartwarming video bringing children to visit older folks in Horsforth Manor Care Home in Leeds, to explore what it's like being lonely at Christmas.