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

[MellowLemur]

I’m spending Christmas by myself this year, and while I know it can feel daunting for some, I’m actually looking forward to it. I think it’s a great opportunity to treat yourself and enjoy some peace.

For anyone else spending the day solo, what are you planning? Whether it’s cooking your favourite meal, a cozy movie marathon, or something completely different, I’d love to hear (and steal some of) your ideas!

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

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?!

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).

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 🤣

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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’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.

Agree, @MiddleClassWomanOfACertainAge

It's so crass.

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!

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.

Some nice food from M and S or Waitrose's
On online exercise video. Pilates or similar.
An audio book to listen to.
Then I would have a look online and decide what I wanted to order myself as a gift in the Boxing Day sales.

Can I join you too @Viewfrommyhouse? That sound wonderful. I have 2 autistic teens who'll probably stay in their rooms most of the day, so I'll pinch some of your ideas, enjoy!!

Is this just for Christmas day or do you mean single people should volunteer every day of the year because otherwise they are sitting home alone?

@Ratisshortforratthew i have a small child so can’t just pack and go but once he’s older and independent… I have plans. Looots of plans 🤣

Careful @Doubledded123 - polishing your halo that hard will give you tennis elbow.

I already volunteer a day a week throughout the year servicing the wishes of my miserable selfish ungrateful allotment plot holders so I have a break from them at Christmas.

I am childless, single and have no nuclear family so I’ll be having smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel for breakfast before heading out on a long hike in the South Pennines. Then back for a hot shower and M&S’s sous vide turkey thigh joint, roasties, stuffing and veg. Then reading and an early night.

I think I would be upset spending it alone even though I spend huge amounts of time on my own 🥺

Interested to look at these. As once my lovely parents are no longer around, its just me. Have family but not close and live miles away.

I’m not sure if it’s still on but I watched the Eras tour on Disney+. That would take up a few hours.

I hope you have a nice day.

If I was alone and some years I truly wish I was, I'd have a remote ish cottage booked for the week, if by a beach even better but not compulsory. food I like and picky bits ordered to just pick up a day before, plenty of wine and books. So first walk the dogs, go back to cottage, into comfies, spend entire day eating what I want, when I want, drinking same and not necessarily alcohol. Watching any damn thing I like or not. Same for boxing day.

I don't get lonely, I love my own company and being able to do what I wish. So many years previously I've taken up invites very kindly given, but I wish I'd said no to some at least. Then kids came along and it's all different for them, now they've left and live on different continents and I wont see them but thats ok too.

It's my dream to go away for Christmas, I will do it one year.

I've spent small bits of Christmas day on my own previously when I worked shifts at the hospital and lived a long way from family. This year I'm spending my first whole Christmas Day on my own. I'm 46. And I'm so excited!!

First thing I do, is run downstairs, put Christmas music on loud and jump up and down on the sofa for a bit. Because it's Christmas day and if you can't bounce on your own sofa on Christmas day when can you? Then I open my presents. Then I sit and eat my cereal while just looking at my presents and appreciating them. Actually this year I might have bacon butties. Have a very long lush bubble bath while eating chocolates or reading a book. Then I'll phone or message a few friends, see what's on telly, visit a couple of Neighbours. Maybe go for a drive or a little walk. I'll have a microwave turkey dinner for one because I'm very very bad cook, and I can't NOT have a turkey dinner. Watch films. Eat my own bodyweight in chocolate. Drop in to visit a few friends maybe, but I'll probably be too lazy and just watch more films. I expect I'll get a bit bored of my own company and maybe have a little nap. Just cosy and Christmassy in my new pjs doing my own thing. I'm excited to see what the day will bring.

I'll never forget the year a colleague rang to check on me because she knew I'd be by myself. She'd even given me a present to open incase I didn't have anything. And she rang me and when I answered all out of breath she was worried I was ill or having an heart attack, and I had to explain I'd just been jumping on the couch like Home Alone. Just because it was Christmas day and I was so excited. 🙈