A recent study has found that 80 per cent of single people enjoy attending carol services, but only 40 per cent liked going to church on Christmas Day.

The research was carried out by the Single Friendly Church Network (SFCN), a Christian charity that has encouraged churches to welcome and value single people. They've said that Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for singles.

Beth Chan from the charity told Premier Christian News: “Carol services tend to draw single people in because they take a broader, more spiritual approach,” whereas Christmas services can often be more family focused.

One single person revealed: “There is a focus on families, it can be difficult to attend on your own and not feel isolated.”

Another commented that walking into Christmas Day services where everyone is sat in their extended families “can be really intimidating”.

Services that focused on children can be particularly hard for those who are childless not by choice, according to SFCN.

The charity has been encouraging churches and leaders to see their calendar of events as a positive opportunity to offer something for everyone.

To help with this, they’ve published a Single Friendly Guide to Christmas Services, this year to help church leaders plan events that welcome and value single people at every stage of life.

This includes those who of all ages who are never married, divorced, widowed, separated and single parents, and accounts for 40 per cent of UK adults. 

Chan told Premier: “Singleness is on the rise in the UK. Churches have a huge opportunity to reach out to the many who find themselves alone at this time of year. We hope that our new guide will help churches to show single people warmth and welcome this Christmas.”

SFCN's practical points for churches and individuals this Christmas: 

• Make welcome a whole church responsibility - Encourage the whole church to be outward looking in the lead up to Christmas. Make a special effort to look out for and include those attending Christmas services alone.
• Avoid family-focused language - Be mindful that not everyone has family to celebrate with at Christmas.
• Share the peace with someone new first - Turn to someone outside your family group, before greeting the people you came to church with.
• Remember those who find Christmas painful in your prayers, in the talk, or through a separate Blue Christmas service.
• Give an inclusive talk that focuses on the true meaning of Christmas. Open up the Christmas story in a way that is engaging and relevant for everyone.