WWYD if you were alone for Christmas Day?

[Kat19899]

Appreciate this is really early to think about but it’s popped into my head so want to get some ideas.

I think I will be on my own this Christmas Day with family living out of the country and friends out of the city. I have no DCs and no current partner. I’m looking at it as it might be the only Christmas I “get to” spend alone (as opposed to “have to”.)

A couple of years ago I spent Christmas with a friend’s family but it was a long day with family tensions and no guarantee she will ask again anyway.

I have bad travel anxiety so can’t leave the country but could travel between London and the south coast.

Would it be really weird to go to a fancy hotel and order room service? I don’t really want to be around happy (or unhappy 😅) families and don’t want people to feel sorry for me.

Aside from that or just staying at home, what could I do?? I really like the outdoors, obviously everything will be shut anyway. I looked into volunteering a couple of years ago but charities are really over-subscribed for December.

When I’ve Googled it all the articles assume I’ll be really sad on my own and that I hate Christmas which I don’t. Without going abroad what would you do if you were me?

Last Christmas my children were at their Dad's house. My parents may have been around. I spent some time at my partner's house and then extracted myself, went home to my empty home, lit candles and slept. It was bliss!

My last 2 Christmases have run thus:

Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve at huge church local to me. All bells and smells, walk home smelling of incense!
Early shift at local shelter for Homeless in nearest Big City, then Sung Eucharist/Carol service at Big Cathedral in that city.
(I'm not particularly religious but I like the ceremony and community).
Japanese food at home!
Visit a couple of friends who also happen to be alone.
Long walk around local area, saying hi to other walkers.
Home for easy and tasty food, crack open fizz.
Catch up on Telly/surf internet/facetime people while we're all a bit squiffy.
Bath
Bed.

Boxing Day is looking around sales, then taking vast quantities of cheese to my friend's house and put the word to rights.

I've never really enjoyed Christmas, and I'm still working out how it can be done so as not to feel bloody miserable by virtue of long association. I'm always relieved when it's over.

I could definitely cobble together the clothes, but far from looking "elegantly cosy casual", I'd look like an overstuffed cushion in cream lounge knitwear, no matter how expensive it was!

Sounds amazing OP!

Eat what you like, watch what you want. Chill in your Jim jams all day if you fancy.

Make sure to book a super fancy hotel as a treat to yourself and drink in the luxury 👌

Sorry but you won;t be alone. I'm coming to yours! Sounds like perfection.

I've never really enjoyed Christmas, and I'm still working out how it can be done so as not to feel bloody miserable by virtue of long association. I'm always relieved when it's over.

You don't have to do it you know. I know most things are shut so your options are limited but I just don't do it.

I buy two presents, usually deliverd via Amazon a few days before and then do exactly what I want, usually TV orsnuggle up with my kindle and the cat.

I must admit that it's hard to imagine being alone at Christmas. However, if I was, I would book into a hotel room at the casino with all meals provided.
I really enjoy the casino and the lift outside my room would take me right to it. That would definitely be my "Alone Christmas".

I don’t think I’d fancy being solo in a hotel on Christmas Day. I’d get my home sparkling clean in the days before, buy in all the luxury foods and drinks I loved, and just have a relaxing day at home. And then book myself a little mini break somewhere soon after the 25th.

Another thing I find really helpful when I am due to be alone esp in a holiday period, is to find out events that I could attend, if I really wanted human company.

Even if they are not so appealing, it's good to know about things esp where I can be sure of a warm welcome. There are likely to be church events around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Around here there is a carol service at 16:00 on Christmas Eve, Midnight mass and a church service on Christmas Day. The zMorris dancers will be out in force on Boxing Day, the wild swimmers have a meet up on both Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

Although I really enjoy my own company, I find it comforting to have some options which I could join if I wanted to, but that I don't need to explain myself if I don't turn up.

Hope you find what works for you.

Volunteer ar a Christmas charity lunch.

I’d go to a hotel with a good spa and wallow in the hot tubs etc. Then I’d order room service.

I am not sure I would want to book into a fancy hotel at Christmas although I am happy to do it other times of the year.

If it were me I would spend it at home but go out for a nice walk at some point of the day. I would read, listen to whatever music I liked or watch TV or Netflix. Eat my favourite foods and get my favourite tipple in which for me would be a gin and tonic or Prosecco or Baileys. I quite like alone time every now and again so I could do it I think although never done it Christmas time yet. You get to be completely selfish which has its upside.

Walk the dog, long hot soak in the bath ( me, not the dog, he prefers muddy puddles) feet up, heating on, heated throw on and read or watch something non-Christmas related.

Thank you for all of your suggestions! Just resurrecting this post for a bit of sympathy/a rant 🙈

A month or two ago my friend asked if we could spend Christmas together as his family is overseas and he only has Christmas Day off from work. We agreed to have a nice chilled day. But this week (a month before Christmas!) he’s said he’s going to discuss with his girlfriend as she has invited him to her parent’s house.

I haven’t booked anything thinking we’d be spending it together, and my only other definite option is to spend it with a friend’s family (very kind of her to offer but the family tends to have squabbles which I don’t like to be around). So now I’m left thinking of all the spa hotels and woodland cabins I could have booked! I live alone anyway so a day at home wouldn’t be very special. Please pray for me that there are some nice options left and they won’t cost an arm and a leg 🤞🥺

Oh no! Good luck finding a lovely last minute option.

Sorry you've been let down. It's rotten. I've spent Christmas day alone in the past. If you can't find anything for Christmas maybe book something for the new year so you've got something to look forward to. There's plenty of suggestions on this thread so you don't need any more from me, I'm sure. Just hope you can find something nice and have a wonderful day.

I am alone every Xmas and my family only live 3 miles away

I get in Prosecco and chocs

If he has a girlfriend did it not occur to him that she might want him around at Christmas, or is he a bit dopey?

I'm sure there are still plenty of spa hotels/ woodland cabins still to be had if you're flexible about location.

That's bloody selfish of him OP.

Let this be a lesson "rely on no-one "

I hope you manage to book somewhere.

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross has the right idea 🙂

I would have a day of fabulous breakfast, a xmas stocking, Carols from Kings on the radio.

Put the roast in the oven, and then go for a peaceful woodland run. Come home, shower, then eat, drink and watch some tv. Some fizz and mince pies.

Christmas film, more fizz, nibbly bits such as olives and cheese. Lovely chocolates. Take my new book to bed.

Hopefully you can get a last minute deal!

Even if you can't, you could make being at home on Christmas Day as special as possible and then book into a lovely hotel for the days after Christmas or in the new year. In fact, that's exactly what I'd do.

I would still decorate the house. Perhaps not the big tree we normally have (mainly as I CBA dragging it out the loft on my own) but I'd buy a real Christmas tree in a pot and would cover the living room in lots of twinkly fairy lights.

I would go to Midnight Mass at a local church.

Then have a lie in on Christmas morning.

I'd get up and make myself a smoked salmon bagel for breakfast and have that with a coffee.

Then I'd open my stocking that I'd made for myself. It would contain books, perfume, bath stuff, moisturiser, fluffy socks and a scented Christmas candle.

I'd go for a long walk or drive somewhere scenic and take a brie and cranberry sandwich and a flask of hot chocolate with me.

I'd come home and have a soak in the bath listening to Christmas music. I'd use all of my new bath products from my stocking then get into PJs and fluffy socks, use my new skincare, put on my new perfume then light my candle and read my book as dinner cooked.

Dinner would be traditional Christmas Dinner but all purchased from COOK or M&S so I could just sling things in the oven and get back to reading my book.

After dinner I'd open a bottle of champagne and a box of chocolates and settle myself down with trashy Christmas films or whatever was on the TV.

Then I'd book myself into that hotel for a post-Christmas break.

@ThreeRingCircus I hadn’t been on this thread for a while and I completely forgot about doing myself a stocking but you’ve reminded me! Yess I’m going to look in the Black Friday sales for some bits ☺️. This day sounds perfect and it probably does make more sense to book somewhere for the new year as something to look forward to

A good point. I assumed he didn’t want to go as it might’ve made him sad to see someone else’s family and I don’t think she gets on all that well with her parents. But he’s also being a bit dopey by not thinking that a change of plan might impact me.
He’s not really on top of things and a bit emotional at the moment so it’s hard to know whether to let it slide or point out he’s being unreliable

I bet you could get a great cut price luxury mini break in early-mid January.
I'm going to suggest Portmeirion again because it's my personal fave, but I grant you that there is a small risk that it will be completely inaccessible in January - I bet other places do similar offers
https://portmeirion.wales/stay/offers/january-blues#:~:text=FROM%20£210%20pER%20ROOM%20PER%20NIGHT%20DBB%20FOR%20TWO!&text=Book%20Dinner%2C%20Bed%20and%20Breakfast,after%20the%20busy%20holiday%20season.