How to Spend Christmas Day Alone

There is a strong chance, many of us will be spending Christmas alone and away from our family and friends this year.

The reality is, with COVID still causing a lot of fear and anxiety for many people, and despite many states here in Australia having opened their borders now, we are still heavily restricted and unable to celebrate like we normally do for Christmas.

Of course, things are a little more flexible here in Sydney, with many restrictions easing day by day. For many, with international borders still closed, it still means a lot of people will be stuck spending Christmas alone.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t get into the festive vibe and start your own Christmas traditions. You don’t need to feel lonely this Christmas, as there are ways to enjoy the time you have, whether that be finding new people to hang with, or perhaps using the time to be by yourself and enjoy a little you time.

Whether you are surrounded by people and still feel alone, or you’re in a foreign country with no family about, Christmas can often feel lonely, with many people hating this time of the year.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way. For many Christmas is a time to reflect on the year that’s gone and be inspired about the coming New Year. And. believe it or not, there are thousands of people around the world who celebrate Christmas alone and absolutely love it.

So, if you are spending it alone; whether by choice or otherwise, here are some ways you can spend Christmas alone.

Explore the City:

Doesn’t matter if you don’t live in the city, pack a bag of food and drink, grab the camera and make tracks for the city. In many cities, particularly in Sydney, Christmas Day (for a short period of time) is one the quietest moments ever. With hardly anyone about.

This makes it the best time to explore and take some great photos, without anyone about. Of course, you will always have tourists wandering about, in search of a festive meal somewhere. A rare few groups of people is far easier than massive crowds. Public transport still operates on Christmas Day too, so you can leave the car at home.

Join a Charity Drive:

Start calling around to your local churches and charity organisation and check who are doing food and clothes drives on Christmas Day for the homeless. Not only is it rewarding to help out those less fortunate, it’s also a reminder that things in your life really aren’t that bad and there is always someone else going through something a lot harder than you.

Of course, that doesn’t mean to say what you are going through is not important, but helping those who need it more really puts things in perspective.

Have a Movie Marathon in Your Pjs:

This can be super rewarding on Christmas Day, when most people are stressing about entertaining family and friends, you can stay in your Pjs all day, eating what you what and literally doing anything you want, like binging on movies and TV shows all day. This is something I actually did several years ago.

Having being brought up in a divorced family, Christmas Day was super exhausting for me, travelling around Sydney from family to family. So one year, I decided I wanted to take a break and stay home to be by myself. It was great. I cleaned my room, gave myself a beauty treat (skincare and hair treatments) and watched an unlimited amount of movies.

Crash a Christmas Party:

If you’re living and working in a foreign country and hate the idea of being alone on Christmas Day, why not ask anyone you have made friends with if it would be too much to crash their party. More often than not, most people (who are decent enough) will ask you anyways.

I know heaps of people, where they have been invited to functions so they aren’t alone on Christmas Day; which is so thoughtful. And even my mum and I have invited people to our Christmas functions when they were travelling in Sydney and alone.

Host a Party:

More likely than not, you are not the only one alone for Christmas. It’s not too late to call around any friends and family you know of, who you think will be spending Christmas alone. Organise a get together where you can all bring one plate of food each and host it at your place; or wherever possible and make your Christmas fun.

It’s all in the mindset really, Christmas is about sharing the joy and love around, so make your own NEW family if you have to and have some fun with the day.

Reorganise Your Wardrobe or House Even:

If you are alone and spending the day at home, use the time to sleep in, write a list of things you want to get done, and get them done. You don’t have to wait for the New Years to start your resolutions.

You’ve talked about it for months now. Having had no time in Spring to properly spring clean your house, or certain areas of your home, now you have all the time in the world. Might be time to give your wardrobe a refresh and make room for Boxing Day sales. Or perhaps you want to reorganise your study, kitchen and bathroom.

Choose a festive playlist of music (or movies) to play whilst you get started on organising your house (or apartment) and start sorting and cleansing. This is actually a great way to end the year, as it will inspire you to set some proper New Years resolution goals for 2021.

Remember you are never truly alone at Christmas time, there are so many people out celebrating by themselves, or opting to stay out of the way of friends and family, so they can chill at home, rest, relax and recharge after a hectic year. So use the time to be inventive and create your own Christmas joy.