# A touching Christmas video about loneliness at Christmas **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 2, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234 "2015-12-02T19:05:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/1 "2015-12-02T19:05:58Z")
[This video](https://youtu.be/V6-0kYhqoRo) is in German but has English subtitles. I’m not going to spoil it for you beyond what the title says, but it’s worth your time, I promise. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/2 "2015-12-02T19:21:42Z")
It’s sweet, I guess? Maybe I misinterpreted the video but I wouldn’t consider faking your own death, even if it’s just to get your family together, to be in the spirit of the Christmas season. If that happened to me, there’d be a lot more accusations about being emotionally manipulative and far fewer weepy "Papa"s. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/3 "2015-12-02T21:35:43Z")
That’s pretty much the point, that he shouldn’t have had to do it. Maybe you missed it, but right at the start of the video, his family kept saying that they couldn’t come. “Maybe next year” kept being repeated. ---
**Author:** ![pidgeon92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@pidgeon92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pidgeon92)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/4 "2015-12-02T22:12:23Z")
If they couldn’t be bothered to visit him at Christmas, I’m surprised they took the time to go this funeral. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/5 "2015-12-02T22:20:50Z")
That was sad. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/6 "2015-12-02T23:17:35Z")
Pretty cruel prank to play on even an inattentive family. No wonder they [sent the old git away](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuz2ILq4UeA) the following year. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/7 "2015-12-03T01:56:23Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > It’s sweet, I guess? > > Maybe I misinterpreted the video but I wouldn’t consider faking your own death, even if it’s just to get your family together, to be in the spirit of the Christmas season. > > If that happened to me, there’d be a lot more accusations about being emotionally manipulative and far fewer weepy "Papa"s. “Papa” raised at least some of the other adults in the clip (the others are likely spouses); there seems to be an implication that he has been left to himself for Xmas previous years and his offspring are leaving him alone with his memories yet again while his offspring have more “important” things to do. You might call it “emotionally manipulative”; I would call it a particularly imaginative example of “the end justifies the means”. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/8 "2015-12-03T02:18:40Z")
Why do old people think they are entitled to have their family visit them Maybe you need to work on making yourself the type of person that people want to visit, not blame other people for not visiting you ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/9 "2015-12-03T04:20:37Z")
Put me in the “hate it” column. Emotional manipulation is not cool, no matter what. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/10 "2015-12-03T05:00:03Z")
> [@Canadjun](#): > > You might call it “emotionally manipulative”; I would call it a particularly imaginative example of “the end justifies the means”. I guess I just don’t quite understand the mindset of a family that does in fact care for and love each other but can’t manage to make time for relatives or have the maturity to say when they feel neglected. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/11 "2015-12-03T05:17:36Z")
Begging to be parodied. Alt ending #1: “You fucking lied to us about your death? What the fuck is wrong with you, you old coot? Let’s get out of here. You guys wanna go to the bar?” Alt ending #2: As the kids and grandkids come around the corner, slowly the set table with candles and wine is revealed, the look of bewilderment on their faces is soon replaced as the shot opens up to reveal…the old man ceremoniously laid out in the middle of the place settings with a hari-kari sword sticking out of his belly. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/12 "2015-12-03T05:50:08Z")
I agree it’s emotionally manipulative, but as someone whose dad died on Christmas Day a couple years ago and who feels guilty about not visiting him as often as I should, that hit me right in the feels. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/13 "2015-12-03T14:39:21Z")
Count me in the side that hates it. I was not in any way weepy watching it. Not to diminish other people’s reactions, but I’m not even sure I understand anyone that did weep during it. Why? The old man is bitter and manipulative - just the kind of guy I’d want to spend time with. They probably only came because they want his money. Faking your death to your family isn’t the action of a healthy relationship. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/14 "2015-12-03T14:54:27Z")
But why dont they come and visit? From my experience the roots for this were laid down years earlier. Maybe the relationship wasn’t good and he drove them away? I really dont know any close, loving families who totally neglect their elders. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/15 "2015-12-03T15:03:29Z")
I hated it also. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/16 "2015-12-03T18:30:50Z")
Saw this (where else) on Facebook and was outraged. I have an elderly mother in assisted living, who, at the beginning (although to her credit she moved there of her own volition), started up with unknown ailments. That the medical staff there could never diagnose, that the only cure for seemed to by mine or my brother’s presence. And their gerontologist spoke with us about this syndrome, apparently fairly common in the elderly. Get “sick,” get rewarded by your children and grandchildren fluttering over you. We started treating all these unknown ailments differently as suggested. “Call 911, Mom, we’ll meet you at the hospital” And of course she wouldn’t. I think this old man is a manipulative old creep–what’s his next trick for the holidays? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/17 "2015-12-03T20:13:01Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Why do old people think they are entitled to have their family visit them > > Maybe you need to work on making yourself the type of person that people want to visit, not blame other people for not visiting you I agree. While it is true that people can be heartless grinches sometimes, they aren’t totally irrational. Parents are not entitled to unconditional love from their children. And this is a good thing. A lot of parents don’t deserve love. A lot of people limit the amount of time they spend with elderly parents because it’s the only way they can stay sane. It’s not just marriage that’s hard work. All relationships are. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/18 "2015-12-03T20:56:25Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I really dont know any close, loving families who totally neglect their elders. According to an [article](http://www.torontosun.com/2015/12/02/supermarket-tv-ad-about-lonely-german-grandpa-goes-viral) I read about this video (not the one I originally saw, but I forget where I saw it - or if I saw it today or yesterday), elder loneliness is a growing issue in Germany and inspired the ad. > [@](#): > > Elke Schilling says Wednesday the ad addresses a sensitive topic in Germany, where an estimated 8 million people over 60 suffer from loneliness. A quick Google search puts the number of people in Germany aged 60 or older at about 20 million, so it does seems like a big issue. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/19 "2015-12-04T03:14:15Z")
If he’s got the wherewithal to fake his own death, then he’s capable of hopping on a train and going to wherever his relations happen to be living. It’s Germany. It’s the Schengen area. If it’s so important to see his family, then he should get up and go. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234/20 "2015-12-04T16:17:25Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > According to an [article](http://www.torontosun.com/2015/12/02/supermarket-tv-ad-about-lonely-german-grandpa-goes-viral) I read about this video (not the one I originally saw, but I forget where I saw it - or if I saw it today or yesterday), elder loneliness is a growing issue in Germany and inspired the ad. > A quick Google search puts the number of people in Germany aged 60 or older at about 20 million, so it does seems like a big issue. That is just a statistic. I mean their is loneliness and then their is LONELINESS. Almost all elderly people wish their family would visit more or they still had the old friends or they may miss the excitement of their old careers. Sometimes it cant be helped when they live 1500 miles away from family. Also often a person has maybe 5-10 days vacation a year and the time just isnt there. But is that the same “loneliness” as a person who hasnt seen family in 20 years? I agree that if the man is so lonely their is no reason he cannot go and visit his kids. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-touching-christmas-video-about-loneliness-at-christmas/739234.md?page=2)