Women spending Christmas alone, what nice things do you have planned?

With small interludes I have spent most of the last 30 Christmases alone. I think this Christmas I will be taking down some shelves in the alcove, filling the cracks in the wall, painting and replacing, while listening to the radio. I have an elderly neighbour who sits all day the other side of the wall so never want to disturb her but she will be going to her grandaughter's. I will intersperse with Christmas snacks and factor in a dog walk while all else are opening presents. I don't like traditional Christmas Dinner so might great myself to a Charlie Bigham creation that I can bung in the oven. I actually like this time of year and will enjoy the time off work.

This is me. I’ll be in Thailand 😎 last year I volunteered at a homeless shelter. It’s a choice, I have a partner but he’s working a lot including Christmas Day so I’ve gone solo travelling. Highly recommend!

Agree, @MiddleClassWomanOfACertainAge

It's so crass.

I’ve volunteered at Crisis at Christmas in the past and one of the fascinating elements of it is the stories other volunteers have of how they ended up volunteering there: estranged families, idealistic teenagers, marriage breakdowns. I didn’t sense virtue signalling so much as a desire to have purpose.

I am a churchgoer and that is an option for anyone, find a local church service in the morning and enjoy the carols, decorations and festive cheer to have some human contact and then go home for a nice lunch and watch some good Christmas telly.

I don't think everyone helping homeless or disadvantaged people is doing it to virtue signal.

I am following this thread because I have a close friend who's NC with family and spends it alone and struggles a lot. Trying to get some suggestions for her.

I feel so sorry for homeless people at this time of year. It must be deeply embarrassing being used as objects for Performative Virtue Practice.

Do you suggest entire families spend their day doing good works instead of indulging, or only solo people??

My sister lives distant so if I don't visit her, and as this year my SO is taking care of his mum, is what my day is like, plus old black & white Christmas films. And crackling fireplace all day.

Quite enjoyable; am looking forward to it.

I like to start the day with a tiny glass or two of Chambord.

Well I live alone but I'm often out seeing people at home on Xmas day seeing family though so that's cool just like the weather

I'm not, family have invited me over, but I don't see Christmas Day as anything special, just another Bank Holiday. If I was on my own though, I'd watch terrible Netflix Christmas films all day, cook all the meat and fish I want for dinner (DD is a vegetarian) and eat Christmas Cake for tea. I'd share my salmon with my cat. I'd video chat with my daughter and ring my mum. I might go out for a walk.

I don't believe it's a day for people to get all sorry for you because you are alone.

I am not but if I was I’d fly to a nice sunny place and plop my butt on the beach/by a pool for a week with nice cocktails and books. Would love a sunny warm Christmas 🤣

What you need is a few packs of party food. Keep in the freezer if necessary and then just stick a few in the air fryer in lieu of meals or when you're feeling peckish.

I won't be alone on Christmas day but I have 2 weeks off and DP is working quite a bit so I will have a few days where I can please myself (no DC). My plan is a decent daily walk and lots of TV watching.

Plus reading in bed surrounded by the cats ('only' 6 cats here, 5 rescue and one who moved herself in with us about 15 years ago because she didn't like the big dog and small child in her first home - I spoke to her original owners and it sounded like we did them a favour by allowing her to stay so no cat stealing here).

Pottering around the garden
Walk or bike ride depending on the weather
Snuggling with my 7 ( rescue ) cats
Leisurely bath and an evening of copious amounts of food and wine
What's not to like?!

Volunteering at a homeless shelter , why sit home alone when you can spend time helping others?

Proud singleton here. Alone is bliss 😍

Not spending it alone but I would:

• get up in the morning, pick a flask with hot lunch and go for a loooooong walk in the countryside
• go to evensong at local cathedral (am not religious but love the atmosphere)
• go home and have a bath, get into pyjamas and spend the evening eating lovely food and watching tv

I'm usually alone but I have never done anything special. I try to keep it quite spartan and just eat what I have in.

Not alone - me and 3 cats.
Breakfast of crumpets and marmite. Walk in what will probably be a gale, as it usually is. Shower, into comfy clothes, books, grazing on cheese and crackers whilst small roast beef dinner does its thing in the oven. Phone calls to family and friends, eat dinner, then curl up on sofa with cats, some gentle telly or a book.

I will be alone for most of it

the day itself is the hardest. I will spend some of it with my elderly mother.

it's too riddled with unpleasantness to really bother with anything. I know I'll feel very low

last year I watched Saltburn in the evening which cheered me up hugely. Not sure if there is a great film coming out that I don't know about yet?

but generally it's a tough time. I didn't see anyone to socialise with for about five weeks last year. This year shouldn't be so bad but I tend to just think I've got to get through it.

I might organise whatever channel has the Eras tour if they still have it. I am dreading the end of the tour! I've got lots of clips bookmarked on YouTube that I can watch.

but actual Christmas Day, all the cheery looking houses, I find it hard.

sorry @MellowLemur that isn't what you wanted to hear. I try not to think about it but the bloody thing gets longer each year.

I have a lot of experience of being alone on the big day. If the weather is awful, I start strong with a long bath and a cold can of ready made G&T (straw optional) accompanied by a whole box of Maltesers.

The rest of the day is very tough not to enjoy after that!

They've put or are planning to put previous Xmas Eastenders episodes on i player, so I'll be watching them!
But pretty much as others have said, I'll be in nice new pjs, easy food, tv and book.
Stay off social media is crucial.

Semi on my own….
Wake up and have coffee in bed crash about on iPad then have a nice shower and put on something nicer to wear than the last decade as I’ve lost a little weight
Late morning go and collect DS’s gorgeous GSD smother him with Christmas love and take him for a long walk
Go to XH for a slap up meal with our boys
Go home to my immaculate tidy house and slob out 😊
Try not to hate me I’ve been through a lot to arrive at a day like this 😂

Wow some of you have really thought this through!

I will ve taking the dog for a walk, having a lovely bath and pamper, eating cheese and grapes, thinking about getting the ingredients to make espresso martinis, read, watch movies, cosy up in pjs. Yep definitely looking forward to it.

I've ordered a butterfly turkey for myself. For the first time since DH died 4 yrs ago, I'll attempt to make myself a proper Christmas meal and then binge Christmas movies.

Proper soak, scrub, face mask, do my nails etc (I never ever have the time to do any of that) in the morning, put on something cozy (nice loungewear). Start with tea and a book. Something I can put straight in the oven for dinner, open a good bottle of wine with a very generous cheeseboard and settle in for the night. Fairy lights on, blanket and possibly hot water bottle. Bloody bliss. That would be my perfect xmas day by myself.