Christmas can be an especially difficult period for people who are socially isolated.

If you're feeling lonely, whether alone or among other people, there is a group and a hashtag you can follow which encourages friendly chit chat:

➡️ @joinin

➡️ #JoinIn

It works like this:

1. Follow the tag and/or group
2. Post about what you are up to in everyday life (cooking, walking the dog etc) and include the tag and/or group
3. Reply to someone else's Join In posts in a friendly supportive manner

@mlanger @FediFollows

I wonder if something like a positive-only #JoinIn can be made. #PositiveJoinIn or #UpbeatJoinIn or #CheerfulJoinIn, something like that.

I mean, we don't have to laugh like clowns all day, but we can keep the serious stuff for other tags.

@TyrionTargaryen @mlanger

The experience you have will vary depending on which accounts your server has noticed.

I did join in last year and (from what my server could see) it was mostly people talking about positive everyday things, it was very fun and constructive.

Obviously you had a different experience, but the Join In tag isn't specifically intended for tales of woe.

A way to avoid this variation is to follow the group rather than hashtag, as the group will be identical on any server.

@FediFollows @TyrionTargaryen I'd say that most were upbeat, but there was certainly a lot of pity partying going on, too. We all have shit to deal with in our own lives and the last thing I need to see is someone else's.

@mlanger @TyrionTargaryen

People deal with loneliness in different ways, I don't think it's useful to vilify any particular approach. Join In is meant to be as inclusive as possible.

I'm sure you didn't mean it like this, but some people might interpret phrases like "we all have shit do deal with" and "pity partying" as shaming them into keeping quiet.

(Again, I'm sure you didn't mean it that way, I'm just saying it may sound like shaming, especially if someone is having a tough time.)