AIBU to say some people are quite happy to spend Christmas day on their own

That reminds me to watch The Christmas candle and The Bishops wife

I'd hate to be on my own but both everyone feels the same as me. If people are happy to be alone then let them. Two people I know live alone but always go to family for Christmas Day

This is what I do. My SO and I don't live together, and he's with his very elderly mum this week.

I'm reveling in a lovely week off work and today will open presents, eat, drink Chambord for breakfast with a brownie cake, watch all the old movies and pamper myself with spa products and a home pedicure.

Nap, fire, champagne and more movies in the afternoon. Dinner already sorted so no cooking, though I suddenly am craving potatoes au gratin so may make some.

Could be worse!

@CandyCane5 There are some very isolated elderly people who have no family and friends. Lets not make this an intergenerational war.

Indeed. We worry about the elderly being alone but really it's the younger people we should be more worried about. Especially with MH which they are more conscious and aware of. Young people have smaller friendship groups now. My parents have multiple invites from friends to come over on Xmas day and a very busy social life.
Younger people are not as social, find it hard to make & keep long term friends. So those who are single, living alone, with complex family situations or not local, will spend it alone. Even if they tell a friend they will be alone, that friend is not very likely to say come over to ours!

I'm alone this year, and also last year. I like it, I have a relaxing day.

As other PP have said though, I enjoy it as it's a choice. I see family and friends on other days in the season.

I have spent a few birthdays upset to be alone, because it wasn't a choice.

I've done it and I'd happily do it again.

If people want to that’s fine and none of my business. I know on a personal level I would hate it. I have a huge family, all my siblings are a lot older than me except one half sister who is horrid. My brothers live in America they are in their seventies now, I’m still in my fifties. So there was a time when there was so much family stuff but two of my siblings have died already, my parents have died and worse of all DD died a few years ago. My parents were over 40 when they had me. DH is from a small family and his one sister never had children.

Im 28 and spending today alone by choice. My mum has been pestering me to come for dinner and thinks im weird but i like to do my own thing and im not bothering with a cooked dinner.
i’ll be doing a christmas style afternoon tea around 1pm with turkey finger sandwiches then scones with clotted cream and jam. I have text a few people but i wont properly speak to or a see a soul today thank god. I hope everyone is having a good day, merry christmas x

Dumped by my boyfriend a few weeks ago, and spending Christmas alone would have added insult to injury. No viable family and no available friends. Could have sorted something out with friends some months back, but the dumping was too close to Christmas.

I’ve done a big clean of the house and picked up some great food and naice booze. And since yesterday, I’m feeling very content, surprisingly enough. I realised that getting organised for it in plenty of time and having nice things to look forward to make all the difference. Bought myself some soft warm clothes to lounge about it and went to the salon. Seems I am more easily consoled than I had imagined!

Anyone else alone and heartbroken, be kind to yourself and be patient with yourself, you’ll get through this and soon be laughing again. Hold your head up high, you’re on cruising speed, things will change again, they always do!

I don't think a lot of people can imagine what it's like to have no or very little family.

I have two living relatives. Both abroad. One is in a care home. I could fly to be with the other but would have to pay a lot for flights this time of year, and leave my pets at home. Instead I choose to spend Xmas on my own and enjoy a relaxing week off work and do whatever I want.

I love the build up too, we over decorate and have Christmas treats all through December, but the day itself I could do without. Servicing someone else's perfect Christmas is a very apt description of it. My XH always went out of his way to tarnish special occasions so there's a lot of bad associations too, but Im also peopled out by Christmas day and would rather not interact facd to face on the day. I had the kids last year, I won't be changing the arrangement because the kids would be hurt, but honestly I prefer this Christmas day on my own, we'll do presents and a roast on Saturday, but I'm happy to miss all the hoopla.

FX its not too bad, I'd totally be dreading that too. Be tempting to wake up to sick to go.

It's cloudy and humid at the moment, and we only reached 22 degrees today and cooler tomorrow. However, contrary to popular belief, the South Island does get hot and in fact the highest ever recorded temp. in the country was in the S.I.

Vicar of Dibley Ha ha
Just noticed the time - hope you’re all set.
I've never been alone Christmas Day.
When I was single used to, on occasion help out in a restaurant which was fun
Fil will be on his own this year as we lost mil in January
He's quite happy, and still has an open invitation top op over if he wants.

I'm on my own this year. I could have gone to wider family but chose to go on holiday instead.
It's the first Christmas since losing the last of my immediate family and I couldn't face it with others. I'm not sure what I'll do in future years.

Yes but Xmas day is a good day to get things done, you tend to be left alone, no telesales calls, no deliveries, just a glorious day of peace and quiet.

My grandmother always had the day to herself once she stopped working in a care home.

I imagine a NZ summer would be much more tolerable, especially in the South Island - what are your temperatures like?

We're having 28 today and 37 tomorrow. Fortunately it's dropping again on Friday. It hit 42.5 last Monday and I just hid inside. And I'm about as far south as you can get on the mainland!

That must be really tough.

I’d wondered if it was a cartoon or something, but when I googled the only results were MN!

An Australian summer might be a bit much - I'm in NZ, so not quite as hot. I do like the long days however, and the warmth of the festive season. While a white Christmas would be nice to experience I would only want to do it once, and I'm sure I would be more than happy to get back to summer.

Nothing's worse than enforced socialisation

Well it goes to show that we're all different, I think enforced isolation is worse.

I’ve had a couple of Christmas days on my own. Once because I tested positive for Covid on 20th back when you had your isolate (and I did get checked up on) and another because I really just wanted a day doing what I wanted for Christmas .

I have a very small family and never had a big family Christmas. Most I’ve ever sat for dinner with us probably 8 people.

Im at my parents for dinner tomorrow but thats more out of duty because they’re getting old rather than it being what I’d choose to do.

Id quite happily stay at home with M&S party good and lots of fizz.

Nothing's worse than forced socialising and merriment. If people want to be on their own, respect it, and let them. Don't force your Christmas spirit onto them if they don't want it.

That said, it's a lovely thing to invite people to Christmas dinner if you know they're going to be lonely not by choice. Put no pressure on them, but let them know they would be more than welcome.

Agreed.

And who gives a toss if a load of strangers judge you (which they won’t).

The extent to which people curtail doing what they want to do because of the opinion of people who are of no consequence is baffling.

My mum is always included by DP’s family but if she wasn’t she’d be quite happy on her own. So would I. It’s just a day.