To eat at a restaurant alone on Christmas day

328 replies

Gorganzolabrie · 21/12/2024 12:39

I'm a single woman in my sixties with no children. This year all my family and friends will be away/with other family for Christmas and for the first time ever I'll be alone on the 25th. This doesn't particularly bother me. It would be nice to have someone to spend Christmas with but I'm not a very Christmassy person and I'm looking forward to going away for a week over New Year.

I discovered that one of my favourite local restaurants is open for a few hours in the afternoon and has a Christmas menu, so I booked myself in. I'm now having second thoughts. I'm wondering if I'll feels self-conscious dining on my own on Christmas day. I don't really want to be an object of people's curiosity or pity and I certainly don't want to be invited to join another table. Should I cancel and have a more relaxing time on my own? I'm also curious about whether any of you have dined alone in public on Christmas day? What was it like? If you saw somebody doing it, would you feel sorry for them?

YABU - Sod what people think - go and enjoy your solo meal

YANBU - Stay at home. It will be less stressful

TIA for your responses.

OP posts:

thicklysettled · 26/12/2024 02:55

I'm glad you went, and that you enjoyed yourself!

CleansUpButWouldPreferNotTo · 26/12/2024 09:00

Gorganzolabrie · 25/12/2024 18:34

So it happened! Fortified by a couple of glasses of fizz and dressed up in a festive but discretely unostentatious way I went to the restaurant. Taking your advice, I took a book with me. Having read all of your responses I wasn't sure what to expect. I had fantasies of being besieged by an army of drunken@Pinkflamingo84s determined to tearfully rescue me from my lonely, despairing solitude. I was almost disappointed when my arrival was greeted by... nothing. The restaurant was mostly full, small groups of well-heeled North London families and friends chattering quietly; none of whom paid me any attention at all, or even looked in my direction (if they did, it was too discreetly for me to notice). I sat in a corner table. The food was delicious; the staff solicitous but unobtrusive. I passed the time texting family and friends, drank the complementary glass of champagne, paid the exorbitantly expensive bill (won't be doing that again!) and left.

Lovely as the food was, the most satisfying part of the whole thing was hearing all your thoughts, speculation and good wishes. It made me feel less alone. Hope you're having a fabulous day.

Thanks for the update, and good for you! I bet the bill was eye-watering, but you deserved a treat, and as you say, you can do something different next time.

Best wishes for a fabulous new year, OP!

Words · 26/12/2024 14:06

Fantastic!! What was on the menu?

The only tiny downside of dining alone is that they do tend to stick you in dark corners/ by the kitchen doors etc. I wouldn't be an arse and do this during a busy service but I do sometimes decline a table and ask for an alternative.

I can imagine the cost but what a fabulous treat. I'd save up during the year and miss a few meals out to do this - so please don't rule it out totally!

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