help me create the best Christmas for one

[shadowsandstars]

This year I am going to be spending Christmas alone. It's the first time I've done that but I have no family or friends I can go to and I have been pretty sad the last few years. I'd love to create a really enjoyable day for me and my small dog.

I was thinking of going for a walk in the morning but I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas of things I can do to make the day really lovely. I was thinking I could spend the day making and preparing some lovely foods and have Christmas music on but will it seem festive or just really sad and alone?

If it were me, I might look at going away somewhere - is that a possibility? Or look into any local restaurants doing some kind of event? Or a church? Just seeing people might lift the day a little if you've felt sad in the past?

But yes it could be lovely planning Christmas trees, baking and movies. Are you into arts and crafts at all?

I think I would binge Christmas movies all day and plan to eat fancy breads and cheeses all day, or mix it up with some salmon pate and nice anchovies which I'm currently craving anyway.

Definitely no cooking apart from Christmas pudding and custard.

I wouldn't fancy eating out on my own on Christmas Day, might feel a bit exposed.

I’d make sure I’d bought the best quality treat food I could, stuff I wouldn’t normally buy so that I felt like I was having special food. So if you like cooking look at recipes you wouldn’t normally make.
Love the idea of a long walk.
I’d also buy myself some new pyjamas and a new book. I’d save them as a present to my self and sit and read with the Christmas lights on.
A little bit of planning to make it a day you and your dog will enjoy rather than doing things you’re expected to do on Christmas will make it lovely for you and hopefully not sad if you do all the things you like.

Your idea sounds lovely, the only thing I would say is make sure you prepare things that you could freeze in case you can't eat it all on the day 😉
If it was me I would go for a long morning walk (you will probably see loads of people out with their dogs) and then home for lunch. I would pick a couple of films that I want to see in advance and watch them for the afternoon (with more than a couple of glasses of champagne!) Then the dog might be ready for another little walk by early evening so I would go out again (probably see loads more dog walkers!) and then come home to my favourite M&S meal or snacky bits, I would watch all of the crappy Christmas TV whilst drinking a few more glasses of champagne!
I'm lazy though so preparing food all day wouldn't do it for me but just do whatever you think will make you happy

A lovely walk
Making food you love with Christmas music on if you so wish!
A good movie and your favourite drink
A hot bath, some new products, into new PJs after and then bed with a new book and chocolate.

Bliss!

Big fry up breakfast with nice coffee then a nice long walk. Come home and warm up. Do a festive jigsaw with Christmas music or the radio on. Order takeaway for dinner. Then get cosy and watch Christmas films in the evening.

I spent it alone last year cos covid, and while I wouldn't want to do it every year it was actually really nice. The days before Christmas I spent getting the house clean and decorating the tree, which made it very cosy. On the day I went for a walk in the morning (lots of people out, and everyone greets you which is nice), and spent the afternoon and evening cooking Christmas dinner while listening to an audiobook. I made a huge elaborate meal even though it was just me, so I wouldn't be sitting around all day. Thought it might be quite sad but actually it was lovely.

Make yourself a Christmas stocking. Start collecting little treats and bits & bobs for it now, wrap up as you get them. Open on Christmas morning whilst drinking a glass of fizz.

Get yourself an Advent calendar, I’ve already got a Bonne Maman one with a different jar of jam for every morning.

All of these ideas sound like a lovely way to spend the day! I've spent quite a few Christmas alone and my favourite one was when I booked a hotel for 2 days and enjoyed eating at the restaurant and walking around somewhere different in the day time.

Walks, films that you like, and something to create. I have had Xmas alone on a few occasions and it was great. On e time I painted my living room a colour I liked, very satisfying.

Your plans sound great - I think having a plan is definitely the way to go, and making it feel different.

Slightly weird suggestion but maybe speak to strangers while you're out on your dog walk - just pass the time of day - there's something lovely about how people will talk on Christmas Day when they wouldn't otherwise. Maybe put a really nice Christmas-y collar on your dog - I often take that kind of thing as an invitation to chat when I'm out and about.

Consider a mulled wine in a nice pub if you fancy a wee bit of human contact on the day, but I think with your plan it's more a plan b for if you fancy it rather than a need-to-do.

It sounds lush tbh!

If it were me I would walk to the cathedral for a service - that might not be for everyone.

If you wanted to do something different you could volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen - they would need to do a DBS check.

Check out the meetup app - there could be a day walk (or longer) including those where dogs would be welcome.

I'm spending from 3pm on my own and I'm planning on doing a lovely Christmas jigsaw puzzle, I'll be drinking loads of bucksfizz and I'll be watching Christmas movies while doing both. Treat yourself op with some lovely chocolates/wine and food.

A walk sounds wonderful
I also like the idea of going to a church service but that might not be for you
I’d have lots of treat food that I really love and that can be easily prepared. I wouldn’t even try to make a complete meal, I’d just pick the things I like.
I’d buy a lovely smelling candle and burn it during the day while I read a new book or watched a movie or did a jigsaw.
And I’d buy my dog his favourite treats and a new toy.

Christmas isn't compulsory. Ignore the prescribed festivites and have a restful day doing whatever you enjoy, in the knowledge that no-one will disturb you.

Come and stay with us. I have had so many shit Christmasses that I cannot bear people being alone if they don't want to be. We will have a vaguely quiet one just me, child and dh who may or may not be there as he's on call.

I'm on my own for most of Xmas this year as well but I'm trying to see it as a treat and a chance to relax - not always easy!

Definitely second the ideas about delicious food and treating yourself and if you want a podcast to listen to Nigel Slater's Christmas Chronicles is beautiful. (There's a whole thread about the book on here somewhere if you want to make the most of the run-up to Xmas too).

I was dreading Xmas last year but I lay in the bath listening to that (not the entire time!) and found myself thinking it wasn't so bad. I also treated myself to a beautiful candle and lovely new pyjamas that I'd never normally waste money on, it felt good to be kind to myself.

There are often people on here on Xmas Day escaping the chaos which is a good way to get a bit of real life connection.

Hope you have a lovely day ☺️

I would by something small each week or fortnight and wrap it eg. Little pair of earrings or book (doesn't have to be expensive)
So you have lots of little things to open.

Warm bath. Nice walk. Church (even if not religious - just for nostalgia)

Get stuck into book to read.

Would you consider volunteering on the day?

I agree that planning is the key, be prepared with plenty of options for the day. If it’s torrential rain, a long walk might not be so appealing, but you’ll have that new book to read or a favourite film to watch or a new knitting project to cast on.

With food too, it’s good to have some options. If you’re feeling a bit low it might be difficult to motivate yourself to cook a meal from scratch, but you won’t be stuck with bread & dripping if you’ve planned and have some cheese, charcuterie and a ready meal to hand.

Having something creative to do is a good idea, something that will interest and absorb you, perhaps a craft kit or a box of paints.
Don't forget a Christmas stocking for your dog! 🎄 🎄 🎄 🎄 🌲🌲

@Ironmanrocks

Come and stay with us. I have had so many shit Christmasses that I cannot bear people being alone if they don't want to be. We will have a vaguely quiet one just me, child and dh who may or may not be there as he's on call.

If you mean that that's very kind.

If it was just me and the dogs, I'd have a nice lie in until I couldn't stand their "why aren't you walking me yet" faces any longer. Then have a quick breakfast and walk somewhere really special... mine love the local deer park as the scent of the pheasants sends them mad.

Then i'd come home, have a long soak in the bath with nice smellies, cook a mahoosive lunch and spend the afternoon in a food coma watching a good box set (Christmas day tv is predictably shit). Then a quick walk with the dogs, feed them, and set about the leftovers with a good bottle of wine.

Nice candles, nice food and a dog - you can't go wrong.

The thought of Christmas Day on your own can feel sad, but a lot of that is to do with the pressure we put on ourselves for the “perfect” family Christmas.

A couple of dog walks sound like a great idea, you’ll definitely see people out and about.

I was on my own last year, rough outline of what I did:

I made sure the lounge at least was tidy and clean a couple of days before.

Tree and other decorations up, definitely sets the mood.
I treated myself to some new pyjamas which I saved for Christmas Day.

A bottle of bubbles and some nice wine stocked up for the festive season.
I did toasted bagels with some lovely ham and poached eggs mid-morning.

TV on Christmas Day can be a bit hit or miss so, for a month or so beforehand, if I spotted any films on tv that I hadn’t seen I recorded them so I had back-up.
I really didn’t want to miss out on Christmas dinner, but I didn’t want a huge faff either! I got a chicken crown (Ocado do a really nice rosemary and garlic one for £5). Pax’s stuffing. M&S fresh Yorkshires and fresh roast potatoes, plus some pigs in blankets, Brussels and carrots. It was any easy meal to cook and ate it at around 4pm. Plus leftover stuffing, pigs etc to snack on. And plenty of chicken for sandwiches, my favourite part of leftovers!
I want to like jigsaws, but I always end up finding them frustrating and so they don’t relax me! I took up diamond painting last year, which I find very relaxing and I don’t notice the time passing by. I’ve brought kits from a few places, the only place I use now is the site in the links below (just a couple of examples of Christmas themes to get you in the mood). Their canvases and crystals are much better quality than other sites I’ve tried. The canvases come in different sizes - the larger the canvas, the better the detail. So, in the evening, I put some music on and settled down with a drink to work on one of my pictures.

victoriasmoon.co.uk/collections/christmas-diamond-painting/products/2019-winter-dream-forest-deer-pattern-5d-diy-diamond-painting-kits-uk-vm8104

victoriasmoon.co.uk/collections/christmas-diamond-painting/products/christmas-snowman-full-drill-5d-diy-diamond-painting-kits-uk-vm90800

I think you’ll have a lovely day. Use it as the perfect reason to treat yourself to some lovely things that you wouldn’t normally do on a day off.

As someone else mentioned, I think there’s normally a thread on here where others in the same boat can pop in to say hi.

I think you can have a lovely day, especially if you plan it in advance.

I'd start with a clean and tidy house, with lots of fairy lights to counteract the gloom, short days and poor light of December. And some beautiful fresh flowers or a flowering plant as a focal point.

A long dog walk would be perfect, go somewhere social like a park or round town where you'll see people. Back for a delicious treat-like breakfast for you and your dog.

For me, I wouldn't do a massive cooked lunch, just a cheese and deli meat platter - to share with the dog if I'm honest. I'd get some really nice fruit as well, as a change.

In the afternoon, I'd walk the dog again to look at the lights (and exhausted families) then I'd come home to a hot bath. New PJs and then I'd sit down with a project - could be a new bullet journal, a jigsaw, a new diary, needlepoint or whatever takes your fancy. A new meditation app? Facebook keeps showing me a course on how to paint seascapes. I think the short days of December are great for planning for the turn of the year, looking ahead to longer days. you could pick some bulbs for pots or your garden?

A nice bone for your little dog and something delicious for you.

Sounds lovely - but you'll have your own ideas on what works for you. I don't think your day will be sad or lonely at all. Post a festive pic of your dog in a santa hat on social media to connect to others if you feel like it.

@IslaPineappple I do mean it. If someone doesn't want to be alone, they shouldn't be. 💗