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?

A woman after my own heart!

I'd book myself into the Grand Californian at Disneyland (CA) and just enjoy the atmosphere, room service, treats, and the decorations. And then spend some time in the two parks. The parks are pretty hellacious with crowds at Xmas but when you're onsite you can dip in and out as you please.

In fact, I've tried over the years to talk the family into doing that instead of buying expensive food to eat and gifts to give. But oddly, they're just not interested. Quite possibly because they aren't Disney People lol.

Oh I love this perspective, OP!

Love the idea of a hotel break. I'd indulge in some really lovely cosy clothes like some beautiful luxurious knits. Stretch out in the hotel pool on Christmas Eve, watch some films in bed after ordering a room service feast. Wake up to a "to me, from me" stocking and open any presents id been sent. Indulgent hotel breakfast, maybe a video call with friends/family if you weren't against it, followed by Christmas lunch. Then an afternoon/evening lounging in an armchair by the fire with a new book (or an old fave) and some festive tipples. Maybe a box of posh chocs. I have our favourite hotel in mind and this sounds like utter bliss.

Book a lovely seaside hotel and have a Christmas day walk on the beach, order room service, have a gorgeous bath and relax with a glass of fizz. Pure utter bliss ❤

There are alot of charities/churches/ organisations that put on meals for homeless or elderly on their own on Xmas day and I am sure they would all be grateful for an extra pair of hands for these o e off events, I struggled to believe they are all over subscribed, that's what I would do in you situation

@crazeekat in defence of @Coffeetree I think it's quite well known that many charities prefer to rely on regular volunteers on Christmas Day, rather than people just turning up to do a one off shift

I don’t think I’d do a fancy hotel, but I would quite like an Airbnb, somewhere I’d be completely away from people and I wouldn’t have to worry about what people were thinking about me spending Christmas on my own. Then I would just chill, watch cheesy hallmark Christmas films, read a book and being away from home I wouldn’t be constantly looking at all the things that needed doing. Sounds like bliss.

I'd book a hotel near the coast and go to a church nearby in the morning, have lunch in the hotel, probably room service so I didn't get asked to join strangers or explain why I'm alone then I'd walk along the seafront after lunch and settle down to a film in the evening with some baileys.

I'd hate to be in a hotel surrounded by other people and their families, I'd feel like they were pitying me and it would spoil my lovely zen solitary time. If it were me I would book a lovely little cottage somewhere beautiful with good walks for three or four nights. On Christmas day I'd have a great breakfast, go to church, go for a long walk, have Christmas dinner at a pub and then spend the evening reading a good book and eating chocolate.

I'd be tempted too, to go to a hotel. I was on my own on New Year's Eve about 5 years ago - NYE 2018 I think ... DH was on nights from 10pm to 8am next day, and both adult DC were out partying with partners - who they lived with. My 3 close friends who live 10 to 20 miles away were with their own families. There was a party at the pub, (10 minutes walk away,) but no way was I going alone.

So I thought 'hmmm I will crack a bottle of port, get the cheese and crackers out, put a Christmas film on, and chill for the night, then watch the fireworks at midnight.' DH was off for 4 days after his shift that night, and we planned on going for a carvery on the 2nd Jan and having a few glasses of wine to celebrate then.

But when a few people cottoned on that I would be on my own, (as DH was working,) they started saying 'come to ours... come stay the night... come for the evening then get a taxi back at 1am or something.' Blah blah blah. I know they meant well but it irked me that I was some kind of desperate and needy sad loser because I was in on New Year's Eve alone. I was OK with it. I would rather have been with DH, and at the pub party with him, but I would rather be alone than with other people who 'pitied' me.

So I told them I was going to the pub, and pulled up a few old photos from a night out there from a year or two before, and put them on facebook to 'back up' my story!

And I really enjoyed my lovely New Year's Eve night! Alone from 9.40pm when DH went to work... Just me and the cat, a bottle of port, and a good film. Then fireworks at midnight!

Have a lovely Christmas day @Kat19899 !!!

If I saw a single person in a hotel at xmas whilst surrounded by my family then the last thing I'd be doing is pitying them. I'd be silently cheering them on

Yes totally, me too!! I think I personally would dread the idea of someone who thinks differently trying to include me. But that's probably an irrational fear - l would think, look at that genius.

I once spent a lone Xmas in London and got on a Boris bike for a cycle down Oxford St as I would be too afraid to cycle otherwise and this was my opportunity to have a danger free cycle.

I was on my own during lockdown as partner was working a 13 hour shift. I loved it. Got up when I wanted, leisurely made a big roast (just the food I wanted) and watched loads of shit TV. No pressure, it was great.

The last time I spent Xmas alone, I enjoyed it. I opened the present from my daughter, had a leisurely shower, fried up a steak daughter had bought from our local butchers, with sides from M&S. Had a glass of good wine with it. Afterwards I had a strong G&T and watched Guys and Dolls on tv.

it was glorious.

somewhat spoiled the next day when daughter phoned me to say they'd turned up at MIL 's house on Xmas eve to find her on the floor with, what turned out to be a broken hip. I'm very glad, as I'm sure MIL is, that they chose that year to go to hers for xmas.

The hotel is a great idea.
Personally I'd treat myself to either a centre parcs lodge for a few days where I can watch nature and take walks in the forest or cycle, have a spa and the log fire on at night, movie and on Christmas day they have everything open so can do a service to your lodge to drop a meal off. Has a festive feel.

Or I'd book a safari lodge at Midlands safari which is beautiful and has views over elephants or rhinos etc depending which lodge you pick and I'd have a nice meal and me time.

Oh wow! I would love this!!!

Oh I really like the idea of thinking you 'get to' spend it alone! I'm going to be on my own this year and intend to have some really nice food, get out for a walk, and have some good tv lined up.

The idea of being in a hotel surrounded by people 'doing Christmas' sounds ghastly to me, but if you could find somewhere that had opted out then that would be better.

Far rather relax at home, buy lots of Christmas goodies from M&S or Waitrose, get up late and go to bed early.

I would definitely do the stocking thing... feel quite excited by that. And a hotel on coast with spa facilities. I'd do a coast walk with cheesy Christmas music in my AirPods and a Christmas novel by the pool.

I'd buy a beauty advent calendar and open all of it on Xmas morning

Luxury Airbnb with hot tub, enormous bath, Aga. Take delicious food that doesn’t need much cooking - seafood, steak - Prosecco and cocktails. Luxury toiletries, new pjs. I’d buy myself some bits and pieces now and wrap them in gorgeous paper with ribbon etc. - by Christmas I’d have forgotten what’s in them! Favourite dvds and a new book by a favourite author. Arrive Christmas Eve, leave on the 27th.

I'd fill the fridge full of all my favourite foods, line up all my favourite shows on TV, fairy lights all over the house with good candle/room scenters, put on some new luxury loungewear and probably spend lots of quality time on my crafting hobby in between eating and watching films. I'd probably line up a new Christmas/winter themed craft project to work on, maybe from the sofa. I'd have a great day. I do like my own company though.

^^ and yes to the present buying and wrapping for oneself and also the beauty advent calendar to open all in one go! Great ideas!

Also I'd have cleaned the house thoroughly and put fresh bedding and sheets and bath stuff out, so everywhere would be sparkling clean and tidy.

I'd go to carol service on Christmas Eve, order an Indian takeaway, watch a Christmassy film, lie in Christmas morning open some presents to myself. Have a nice breakfast smoked salmon or eggs Benedict, go for a nice walk on the beach, come home bath with fancy bath oils etc and a good book. I probably wouldn't cook a meal but would have in anything nice I fancied from m&s/Waitrose. Read a book, watch something I'd been meaning to, drink champagne throughout! Light a fire in the evening listen to some music, read a bit more, maybe a drop of port.
I'd thoroughly enjoy it!

Slightly different because my ideal Christmas is just me and my husband. We don’t have children, are both quite introverted, and never get to have the Christmas we want due to family commitments/expectations. We have a plan that, in the future, we’ll spend at least one Christmas holed up in a nice suite in Claridge’s. Leisurely room service breakfast, nice walk through London streets, late Christmas lunch in the dining room, afternoon snooze, cheese and films in our room for the evening with a nice bottle of something.

To answer your question though, OP, if I were alone, I’d do the following-

(some of these are working off the assumption that I have access to the relevant funds- let a woman have her fantasy)

Get a local company in to do my decorations around 20/12 (and come back to take them down about ten days later).

C. 23/12- get a company in to do a deep clean.

Christmas Eve- nice long bath with a glass of wine, charcuterie for dinner. Bailey’s and a film.
Prepare homemade focaccia dough and let rise in the fridge overnight.
Bake a ham.
Make a nice dessert (tiramisu, or maybe cheesecake)

Christmas morning- bacon sandwiches and buck’s fizz. Love @ginslinger‘s advent calendar idea. I’d probably have three- one chocolate, one alcohol, one beauty. Open those with a Christmas film on in the background.
Then lunch of baked Camembert to have with baked ham and the focaccia. Wine.
Book, lovely chocolates, probably a doze in a comfy armchairs
Christmas night- more cheese/ham/charcuterie, more wine. Netflix.

At that stage, would be quite squiffy and full of cheese so would happily retire to bed, looking forward to a nice lie-in the next day.

In 2021 I tested positive for covid on 20th December and didn’t want to put my elderly parents at risk so I spent the whole Christmas period on my own and I absolutely loved it.

I watched what I wanted on tv, listened to music, ate non Christmas food and enjoyed the peace and quiet.