Spending Christmas Alone?
Discover inexpensive, simple and fun ways to enjoy Christmas without family
Alone BUT Not Lonely
Alright. If you’re reading this you’re either thinking why the heck someone wants to spend Christmas alone or you are THAT person who for some reason can’t spend Christmas with their family and friends. If you happen to be a part of the first group, I wanted to tell you that according to the research and my personal observation there is quite a large group of people who despite having the possibility to spend Christmas with their family and friends choose not to. And that’s totally ok. Everyone should be free to choose how they want to celebrate the holidays without having to explain, justify or defend their decision. Whereas if you fall into the latter group, I wanted you to know that you can not only survive but also enjoy the Christmas season even if you spend it all by yourself. How is this possible? Well, I’ve got some great ideas! I’ve been spending Christmas without my family for several years so believe it or not but I have some proven ways to enjoy this time of the year. So if you wanted to get totally depressed on Christmas Eve, I’m sorry for ruining your plans but after reading this post you will have no choice but to enjoy the holidays spent all by yourself! So get ready, grab your drink of choice - alcoholic or virgin and enjoy the reading!
The Rules and Conditions for Spending Christmas Alone
Get comfortable
Get creative
Get crazy
Have fun
Keep calm and relax
Indulge… in a healthy way
Be kind to yourself
Simple ways to enjoy Christmas day all by yourself
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1. Plan & Prioritize
Whether you’re preparing for a significant life change or you’re just trying to survive Christmas time without family and friends, having a good plan will make everything much easier and less overwhelming. First of all, planning and preparing will make you feel powerful and in control of the whole situation. Secondly, you will overcome your fear of the unknown before it even comes to you. And finally, you will be able to manage your time wisely by eliminating unnecessary decisions and unhealthy habits. So, as you can see taking some time for planning and preparing it’s always a good idea especially if we’re talking about celebrating Christmas without family.
So, don’t wait until the clock strikes midnight on December 24th to do a Christmas planning. Plan ahead, get creative, develop your own Christmas tradition and enjoy Christmas spent all by yourself! Focus on your wellbeing and create a positive Christmas experience for yourself! Ditch the perfectionism and focus on authenticity.
- Create your own Christmas tradition
- Run your own little experiment
- Get outside your comfort zone and dive into challenges
- Create your Christmas bucket list
- Make a powerful to-do list (include healthy eating, working out, quality “me time”, self-care, journaling, powerful Christmas rituals and anything YOU WANT!)
- Set your Christmas goals
- Set 3 Christmas Intentions
- Set 3 Christmas Priorities
- Schedule time to relax
- Schedule time for quality rest
lift your spirit
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Happiness doesn’t mean that everything is perfect and flawless, it means that you are able to embrace imperfections of the present moment and find the beauty in the small things. In other words, the key to success is to set “realistic expectations” and become more flexible with your life. So instead of feeding your ego, nourish your soul. Because the beauty of life is often found when we give up control and soften our expectations. This pursuit of pure perfection and this obsession of self-fulfillment can only lead to disappointment and depression. Of course, I’m not encouraging you to set low expectations and being content with very little. What I am saying is that you should give yourself a bit of credit and learn to live fully in the present moment. Remember that the present moment it’s all you really have. So stop negative self-talk and show yourself a little more self-love! Lift your spirits this Holiday season!
- Get yourself a Christmas presents
- Plan the perfect Christmas movie marathon night
- Create your happiness song playlist to lift your spirits
- Practice gentle self-talk
- Prepare a relaxing bath - add a bath bomb or a few drops of essential oils like lavender for extra relaxation
- Engage in self-care rituals
- Laugh it off
- Give yourself the freedom to experience how you feel without trying to change your emotions
- Watch inspirational TED Talks HERE
- Exploring the World of Podcasts - search for Holiday Podcasts for a Merry Christmas
- Celebrate your small wins
Download Your FREE Printable Christmas Worksheets!
3. Create The Perfect Christmas Vibe
Christmas is considered to be the time of a great joy filled with beautiful celebrations, delicious indulgence, and a peaceful atmosphere and just because you spend the holidays all by yourself it does not mean that you should deprive yourself of Christmas vibe! So stop making endless excuses, take responsibility for your Christmas experience and start creating a festive and relaxing atmosphere for the upcoming holidays! You owe it to yourself!
- Set a festive holiday mood throughout your house with Christmas decorations
- Dress up a Christmas tree
- Make your home more Christmassy
- DIY a Christmas card for yourself
- Make a snow angel
- Make a snowman with vivid facial expressions and body moves
- Watch your favorite Christmas movie
- Make sure your Christmas playlist is equipped with all the right songs
- Prepare spiced & warming mulled wine
- Make gingerbread cookies for your insanely delicious holidays
socialize
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“A little party never killed nobody” - at least it’s what Fergie says…
Life is too short to deprive yourself of good feelings right now. Life is too short to take yourself too seriously. You deserve joy, happiness and an epic Christmas party! Yes, that’s right. You’ve heard me. So stop making endless excuses and waste your precious time for feeling sorry for yourself. You’re the host and the main guest of your Christmas party titled: „Me, Myself and I” so plan it, prepare it and enjoy it! I’m serious. Sit down, take a piece of paper and plan a memorable and budget-friendly Christmas party! You deserve it!
- Plan a memorable and budget-friendly Christmas party titled “Me, Myself and I”
- Dance until your socks melt
- Cultivate the very best relationship with yourself
- Fuel your passion
- Discover the creative in you
- Focus on your awesomeness and embrace your uniqueness
Best Posts About Christmas:
- How to Manage Christmas When You Suffer from Anxiety Disorder HERE
- Unique and Inexpensive Gifts for Christmas 2019 HERE
- Christmas on a Budget: 7 Powerful Hacks to Budget, Plan & Organize Debt-Free Christmas HERE
- How to Eat Mindfully HERE
- 7 Steps to Detox Your Mental Wellbeing. – Cleanse Your Mind for a More Positive Life HERE
- 8 Simple Ways to Live a More Active Lifestyle HERE
- 6 Simple Ways To Live A Healthier Lifestyle HERE
- Effective Self-Help - best free resources to improve your mental health HERE
5. Indulge...
Christmas is a time of indulgence, guilty pleasure, and food comas. We all know it. No one even tries to deny this. This is why we love this time of the year so much. Holidays are a perfect opportunity to just sit, relax, surrender to the delicious food and spend quality “me time”. Yes, you’ve heard it! Just because you’re not spending this Christmas with your family and friends it does NOT mean that you can’t indulge in your favorite Christmas meals. You CAN and you SHOULD! So plan your Christmas menu, do grocery shopping, and prepare your favorite Christmas dishes (and desserts!) Bring out your inner chef and enjoy undisturbed overindulgence!
- Prepare delicious & healthy desserts
- Enjoy a cup of thick and splendid Belgian hot chocolate
- Prepare delicious virgin cocktails
- Go on an exciting solo date to your favorite restaurant
The Benefits of Eating Alone (just in case!)
- Me, myself & I with the company of great food
- A great opportunity to practice mindful eating
- Healthy eating choices
- Checking your phone or reading a newspaper without the fear of being rude
- No food sharing
- No food compromises just delicious indulgence
Mindful Eating Apps
- In The Moment (Android/iOS)
- Mindful Eating Tracker (Android/iOS)
- Am I Hungry? (Android/iOS)
- Mindful Meal Timer (Android/iOS)
- Mindful Eating (Android/iOS)
- Eat, Chew Rest (Android/iOS)
- Eat Drink and Be Mindful (Android/iOS)
- Time Your Bites! (Android)
- Mindful Eating Hypnosis - Eat What You Need (Android)
- Mindful Eating Coach (iOS)
Apps Designed For People Who Struggle With Eating Disorders
go on a Christmas solo date
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Self-dating is all about giving yourself a little love and enjoying your own company (no, not that way… although technically you can do whatever you want!) But seriously when you’re going for a date you want to have a good time, eat a delicious meal, have a glass of some good wine, watch a movie, have an interesting conversation. Am I right? Dating yourself means exactly the same. It’s all about doing something fun, active, creative, crazy or relaxing. Or all at once. Why limit yourself?! Be creative. Get inspired. Think outside of the box. Take a journey of self-discovery. Find out what is your talent, passion, guilty pleasure and favorite way to relax. Be mindful. Learn to live in the present moment and get as much as you can of it. Just squeeze out every drop of joy. It’s all yours for the taking. It’s time to go on a Christmas date with YOURSELF!
- Enjoy a delicious cup of coffee in your favorite café
- Take yourself for a Christmas lunch in a cozy restaurant
- Spend an evening enjoying an outdoor Christmas concert
- Take a trip to the movie theater on Christmas day
- Explore a museum
- Netflix & …
7. Get Active
Have you ever noticed how good and energetic even a little physical activity makes you feel? It’s because during exercise our body releases endorphins and increases dopamine and serotonin levels. This magic trio made up of your natural happy chemicals is all you need to activate your happiness mode. Furthermore, regular workouts boost your energy levels, reduces stress, increases self-esteem and keep you fit (not to be confused with “being skinny). Need I say more? So instead of looking for an excuse to skip your workout and indulge in laziness, move your butt during this Holiday! Just think how great you will feel afterward and hit the gym, go for a walk or do a full-body workout at home. Move your alone Christmas butt and activate your happy hormones. You owe it to your health to give Christmas workouts a try.
- Walk instead of driving and explore your neighborhood on foot
- Take the stairs instead of an elevator
- Go outside and soak up some sun for natural Vit D
- Practice some winter sports such as ice skating, skiing
- Take a long Christmas walk
- Try a fitness, yoga or pilates class
- Motivate yourself to go to the gym to do some mood-boosting workout
Boost your mental health
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Life is incredibly challenging. There is no doubt about that. When things turn out the way we expect them to, we usually lower our guard. But when life puts us in a very tough spot we tend to panic. Of course, it’s a natural human reaction in a difficult situation and there is nothing wrong with that. However, such an attitude is neither helpful nor practical in solving problems. If you want to be able to get through challenges in life without losing your mind you need to think clearly and make conscious decisions. You need to be mindful, focused and self-conscious. How can you achieve that state? The answer is quite simple: To be able to face difficult situations and life challenges you need to build strong mental health! And here are some simple but powerful ways to do that:
- Hug yourself and give yourself a nice big squeeze
- Give yourself hug-like well-deserved positive affirmations (and write them down)
- Journal - explore the therapeutic power of writing
- Try Mindfulness meditation for relaxation, stress relieve and positive energy
- Practice self-compassion
- Start a Gratitude jar (if you haven’t started yet!)
- Listen to calm sounds - Find the voice that calms you helps you to enter a flow state of mind
- Create your Spotify list of relaxing songs that will help you to boost your health and mental wellbeing
- Listen to ASMR whispering to relax
Discover Mental Health Apps
- Calm Meditation and Sleep Stories (Android; iOS)
- Happify: for Stress & Worry (iOS and Android)
- Headspace (Android; iOS)
- Breathe2Relax (Android; iOS)
- Anxiety Reliever (Android; iOS)
- Self-help for Anxiety Management (iOS)
- Sanvello (Android; iOS)
- Worry Watch (iOS)
- Rain Rain (Android; iOS)
- Panic Relief (Android; iOS)
- SAM App (Android; iOS)
- What’s Up? - A Mental Health App (iOS and Android)
- MoodTools - Depression Aid (iOS and Android)
- MindShift CBT - Anxiety Canada (iOS and Android)
- Self-help for Anxiety Management (iOS and Android)
- Happier (iOS)
- Smiling Mind Meditation for all ages (iOS and Android)
- MY3 Suicide Prevention (iOS and Android)
- PTSD Coach - not only for Veterans (iOS and Android)
- NOCD: Effective care for OCD (iOS)
- RR: Eating Disorder Management (iOS and Android)
- Rise Up + Recover: An Eating Disorder Monitoring and Management Tool for Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating, and EDNOS (iOS and Android)
- CBT Thought Diary
#1 Free Mood & Thought Journal (iOS and Android)
Download Your Free Printable Self-care Workbook by clicking on the photo below!
P.S.
Stay Positive
Be Mindful
and enjoy Christmas day spent all by yourself!
xo Kate
4 thoughts on “Home Alone - Tips on How to Survive and Have Fun Without Family at Christmas.”
I always think it’s so sad for those who are alone in the very literal sense, with no family or friends at all for the Christmas period. But it’s not just those people who can feel alone at Christmas. You may have immediate family but still feel lonely, or have no friends around for social activities. That matters just as much, the way you feel even if there are some people around. These are all fantastic ideas and solo dates can be brilliant, encouraging you to grow and learn and gain confidence. I’ve not been on a solo date in ages. It really can be anything, too. From a cup of coffee in town to going to the cinema or a night away somewhere. Brilliant post as always, Kate!! xxxx
Always better to be alone than in bad company, right? Bad company leads to severe problems and bad decisions. Not to mention that the shock you experience can trigger a migraine. No, but seriously sometimes your family can be your worst enemy and I am not the only one who learned that the hard way. Spending Christmas day with toxic people instead of celebrating it with your friends or even alone (alone not lonely) it’s a bad idea. Nothing is more important than your peace of mind. And if something costs you your peace is just too expensive (whether it’s a toxic family, false friends or job you hate) This year has been a roller coaster ride for me. I really thought I wouldn’t make it. But I am still here. I think that my sarcasm saved me. I really do. It’s my greatest strength. I’m starting to think that sarcasm is the best superpower. (That’s why I love your post on your Santa wish list so much. It’s brilliant!) P.S. THANK you for your supportive, kind and encouraging words! You’re the best!! lease take care and have a wonderful weekend!!!! 🤗
Kate, you have survived and you’ve done it in incredible style! You should be insanely proud of yourself, not just for surviving but making changes and pushing forward and then helping so many through your powerful words of wisdom and comfort on your blog. You’re a bloody rockstar and I love you and so do all of your readers. I’m so sorry about your family and for all of the bad times you’ve been through. But that sarcasm has served you well. You’re a tough cookie and you don’t need toxic people in your life. You’re worth more than that. xxxx
Thank you, Caz for being such an inspiration and a wonderful human being. You cannot even imagine how much you’ve helped me to survive the worst moments of this year. Thank you for your words of encouragement, strength, and support. Thank you for every single comment you left on my blog. Thank you for being so brave to share your personal experience, story and struggles with us - your readers! Thank you for being completely raw, honest and true in all of this. Thank you for being YOU! I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, a pleasant holiday and a happy New Year! 😘😘😘