Whether you’re going to be alone because you’re single or simply because your family lives too far away to get together, the idea of spending the holidays solo can make you sad. If you live according to tradition, this is the time that you’re supposed to be surrounded by the people you love, not sitting alone wondering what you are going to do with yourself.
However, the holidays don’t have to be disheartening even if you are alone. And they won’t be if you try one (or more) of these twelve ideas:
#1 Take a Singles Holiday
Many travel agencies or destination resorts offer packages that revolve around holidays for singles. Just because you don’t have anyone to go with doesn’t mean that you won’t meet someone while you are there. Even if you don’t make a love connection, you’ll likely at least make a new friend.
You can go to a mountain resort and ski with other singles or enjoy a holiday in the sun by planning a vacation somewhere warm. It really doesn’t matter where you go because you’re sure to have a good time getting to know people from other areas of the world who are also single and looking for a good time too.
#2 Surround Yourself with Your Comforts
If you’re going to be alone, it doesn’t mean that you have to be miserable too. Surround yourself in some traditional comforts so that your holidays are special, even if you are by yourself.
For instance, if you have certain movies that you like to watch every year, make sure you have them on hand. If there is a dish that your grandmother used to make every year, buy the ingredients and make it yourself. Having things around you that remind you of cherished memories can help you feel not quite so alone.
#3 Start a New Tradition
If spending time thinking about old traditions makes you sad because they remind you that you are not taking part in them anymore, maybe it is time to start a new tradition that makes you smile. Think of something that you can do year after year to make the holidays something to look forward to instead of something to dread. Be creative and see what you can come up with!
#4 Find Others in the Same Boat
You’re not the only one that is planning to spend the holidays alone, so why not reach out to others who are in the same boat so that none of you have to spend your time solo? Get together with friends that are single or see what singles holiday events local agencies may have planned. You may find something that interests you.
#5 Try Something New
One of the best ways to get your mind off being alone is to try something new. It takes all of your focus because it is unfamiliar to you and it gives you the opportunity to expand your horizons and see if you like different things at the same time. Search your local papers or go online and see what activities are available in your area. Pick one and try it.
#6 Video Chat with Your Friends and Family
If you’re alone during the holidays due to family and friends being too far away to get together with, at least you can video chat with them. That way you’ll get a little bit of cheer coming your way, but you won’t have to spend your entire holiday dealing with their traits that send you right over the edge. It’s like having your cake and being able to eat it too! When you’ve had enough of them, simply turn off your computer.
#7 Catch Up on Your To-Do List
Using holiday time to catch up on your to-do list will not only keep you preoccupied, but it will make your time more productive, leaving you feeling less bad about being alone. Come up with a few different projects you’ve been meaning to tackle and get them done. That way, you’ll start out the New Year on the right foot!
#8 Enjoy a Hobby Best Done Solo
Some hobbies require peace and quiet, making solo holidays a wonderful time to do them. Curl up with a good book and get lost in someone else’s life, or practice your favorite dance moves without worry of someone else walking in. Find something that you enjoy doing alone and do it the entire break.
#9 Use Your Time to Reflect
In this day and age, we’re all so busy running around and doing things that we rarely have time to just sit and reflect on our life. However, while everyone else is still filling up their time with holiday obligations, if you’re planning to be alone this time of year, it is a great opportunity to sit and think about where you are and where you are headed without having to go here and there.
#10 Catch Up On Your Rest
Sticking with the fact that you’re likely a very busy woman, you can use holidays alone to catch up on some much needed rest. Sleep in and take naps throughout the day. Give your body time to relax and heal from all of the stress that it gets the other eleven months of the year.
#11 Volunteer
If you truly don’t want to be alone during the holidays, there are a lot of volunteer organizations that could really use your help. Contact a local soup kitchen and offer to serve meals on New Year’s Day or operate a crisis line to help others in need. Make good use of your holidays alone by making sure others don’t feel alone too.
#12 Count Your Blessings
Even if you wish that your holidays were going to be different and that you weren’t going to be alone, don’t spend the entire season bitter about the way things are. Be thankful that you have what you have, because there are a lot of things to be thankful for. Your life may not be perfect, but it could always be worse.
Spending the holidays alone doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Whether you get to enjoy a singles holiday in the sun or choose to catch up on your reading or sleep, it can be a good thing. It’s up to you to make it that way.
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