Alone at Christmas... How do I make it fun?

[AverageGayLadAtChristmas]

I'm going to be alone at Christmas, uni student so not much money, just me in my flat

How do I make this fun???

I can't drink so can't even get sloshed

I'm already stocking up on Christmas Yankee Candles!

[AverageGayLadAtChristmas]

Grain I think I'll do that, thankyou

[GrainOfSalt]

A variation on some ideas above - grab a huge sock/ stocking and buy something to put in it each week between now and Christmas - don't peek, don't check what you have already - little packs of sweets, chocolate, pot of olives, CD, DVD, Doctor Who magazines (serious grown up ones or the kids ones with free daleks etc - or both ), tub of pringles, nuts (and nutcracker), Christmas (or Doctor Who) socks, miniature bottle, etc etc - and make sure you get a satsuma to shove in at the last minute... hmm I may do the same for myself - except the olives

[SolomanDaisy]

If you've got any pub or restaurant experience at all, you could probably make a decent amount of work signing up to work Xmas with a temp agency. Even if you have no experience you might be able to get kitchen work.

[MorrisZapp]

I'm sure any uni worthy of the name is crawling with lovely gay fellas looking for diversion. I'd want my money back otherwise.

Cough grindr cough

[SpecialStains]

As a student with no plans on Christmas, I'd be looking to see if anywhere needed temporary serving staff in restaurants/pubs. People tip well at Christmas!

[PoohBearsHole]

You should find another solo mnetter (bound to be lots!) and then you should buy each other a small gift with a max of £5 or something and send to each other - for a suprise!

[AverageGayLadAtChristmas]

Where am I starting this thread? and when?

If you want to of course you can send me a card, I'll send one back!

[MrsDilligaf]

AGL

Please can I send you a Christmas Card ?

Start a thread called the AGL Fan Club or something equally daft and silly then stick the link on here - we can all pop on and mother you, tell you off for frittering money on Yankee candles, and keep you company!

[AverageGayLadAtChristmas]

Morris A lot easier when you're straight, believe me.


poshme That's such a kind offer but I wouldn't want to burden you! and I have a dog phobia


I'm seriously just going to print this thread.

[MorrisZapp]

Young people today, I dunno. I would have got a shag at the endless parade of Christmas parties and spent the day itself in a sex haze. With chocolate and movies.

Its probably different now. Is nothing sacred?

[SymphonyofShadows]

All the online sales start on Christmas Day, so you can either shop or cough up a lung laughing at the sea of polyester frump that is M&S Per Una. Come to think of it, I haven't seen an MN Per Una thread for ages.

IIRC M&S do a Christmas meal in a box. It might be two portions but you could eat it all like I would have some on Boxing Day

[elQuintoConyo]

If I were to be alone this Christmas, I would:
Buy and wrap little gifts to myself.
Make myself a Christmas card
Have a small tree, but fully decorated.
Eat cheese - especially a pepper-covered soft cheese i found in Lidl last year, eaten on a cracker with membrillo - a chunky kind of quince jam. My god I could eat that every day
Go for a long walk.
Read a really good book while listening to carols - from Kings or just Walking in a Winter Wonderland type stuff.
I'd have a shower but wear fresh soft flyffy super-comfy and warm jammies ALL DAY
Keep my phone on silent and onlyvrespond to whatsapps and go on MN.
I'd avoid the tv (I'm abroad. Last year on the kids' channel they showed the Halloween episode of Spongebob.... Wha??).

I'm in Spain. Christmas lunch is fat pasta soup, giant prawns and canelone. Just no. I have to try and cobble together Christmas food that I recognise by visiting expat Xmas fairs and getting my lical butcher to saw off and save for me all the fat off varois livers for me - no suet here for mince pies. And I have to grate it myself

[Stonebees]

There should be some info coming round in November or so about what's on offer in your town / city for students who'll be there over Christmas. The Students Union probably writes it - ours puts together a lovely email with suggestions with one thing to do for every day of the Christmas holidays. You can either gather with other students to do them together, or go and do them independently.

[OrlandaFuriosa]

I So envy you, I've wanted a Christmas alone ever since I was a teen.

I know exactly what I would do.

If I were organised, virtuous and courageous I would volunteer. And slob in between, playing Christmas songs, eating Stilton, yummy bread and drinking soup. With the odd bit of fruit cake and maybe an apple for virtue. I would read trash and get on MN. I might watch the repeat of Miss Marple, sound of Music or whatever ham is on. I might go to midnight mass somewhere, otherwise I'd listen to carols from Kings at 3 pm on Christmas Eve.
If I were organised, courageous and a bit less virtuous I would do shift work and get paid and feel smug at the money and that nice me had let other people have Christmases with their families. And the rest. And put on the stuff that I had already unwisely bought with the proceeds if the shift work in advance.
If I were just me, I'd slob. I might, just might, feel that I should go and get a walk, and might do so on Boxing Day or the day after.

I'm not offering odds on which would be the most likely..

[poshme]

Averagegaylad, you'd be very welcome to join my parents house for Christmas. They always have loads of people (like 20/25) including close family, further away family, friends but there's always a few odds and sods as it were- foreign students who my brothers have met who were going to be alone, or random single people who my mum has heard will be alone.

If you want company- genuine offer. You'd be expected to muck in with peeling potatoes etc. and would be encouraged to join in with hearty countryside walks (but not compulsory). Everyone goes to church in the morning, but again, not compulsory.
Oh, lots of kids around, and dogs. So if you hate them, not your best choice!

[serin]

Most Uni's put on a Christmas dinner for students who are not able to go home at Christmas. My DD offered to bring several international students home for Xmas but in the end they chose to stay at Uni and join in the fun and games there!

[AverageGayLadAtChristmas]

Nobody may talk during Doctor Who.

[ShowOfHands]

I have crippling social anxiety too and have spent Christmas alone. Only once though. I helped serve dinner at the local care home and stayed for a few hours. I then read, idled, mooched and ate mince pies. I sat beside my twinkly tree and watched Dr Who in glorious peace.

My DH will be in Afghanistan this Christmas so just me and the children. I'll likely be on MN so we can have a virtual Christmas. After Dr Who though. No chatter during that.

[Artandco]

• strangely empty

[Artandco]

It wasn't alone, but with husband. But my favourite Christmas so far was the one just before first child was born. I was so fat and family all overseas that we said we weren't travelling and so stayed home just us two. I ate a whole box of mince pies in bed and waddled around Hyde park which was arranging empty.

I'm very tempted to do it again this year. Except I now have two children who will no doubt eat half the mince pies and leave a bazillion crumbs in the bed!!

[ChocChocPorridge]

I loved the one christmas I've ever had alone (I'm from a big family) - I had pate and smoked salmon and melba toasts, and fizzy wine, and I watched whatever I wanted.

It was FANTASTIC.

[Huppopapa]

to cook
Duck. Not a breast but a whole duck. The most ham-fisted moron can cook it well.
Get a frozen one from Lidl/Aldi for £6 and you just can't go wrong. Let it thaw for a couple of days in the fridge, remove the giblets and discard, then take kitchen towel and press the skin firmly all over to get all the moisture out of it. Then take plenty of salt (table salt, not the big fancy crystals - coverage is the important thing) and rub it into the skin and cook the bugger at about 150 to 160C for three or so hours. If the worst comes to the worst it will go crispy, which is no bad thing. Don't fanny about with kitchen foil - there's no need as long as you keep the heat low. Make sure you have a deep dish to catch the fat or you may have to drain a couple of times.

Do this at about 11am then go out walking. Walking on Christmas morning is brilliant. There are very few people about - so avoiding your anxiety issues - and those that are are invariably friendly. It's also great fun sneaking around while everyone else is busy and you can look in at lots of windows to see how they are getting on!

Get back at 1pm and make yourself a salad to go with the duck. Try to make your own dressing - that's something to experiment with between now and then. It's very satisfying. When the bird is ready, cut it into quarters using kitchen scissors - after three plus hours, the bones will be soft enough - and have a tasty and healthy meal with a glass of Shloer.

Christmas Day by yourself is brilliant. You can do exactly as you please, do nothing for no-one, go to bed early with a book or a magazine when you want.

[TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross]

Get a book and a box set that you really want and then save them until Christmas. Download all 27 episodes of Cabin Pressure (a hilarious Radio 4 comedy programme written by John Finnemore and with a fab cast) and start listening to them on Christmas morning while you prepare food. Buy tiny treats for yourself over the next three months and make yourself a Christmas stocking for the morning - always the best bit of Christmas!

[AverageGayLadAtChristmas]

Vino I was thinking of giving myself £50 to spend in M&S

I don't know if there's a light switch but I'd certainly go :)

I always listen to Christmas songs all through the year December!

[VinoTime]

Average if I were you, I'd stock up on all those little things that make you feel good at Christmas. Make a list and work towards it. Start forming some traditions for yourself.

Personally, I love putting up my tree and decorating the house at the beginning of December. It makes me feel so happy and I've spent many an hour just sitting and staring at all the twinkly lights with a mug of hot chocolate. It sounds silly, but it gives me the warm fuzzies every year.

Are there any Christmas markets or a town light switch on happening near you? You don't have to go with anyone if you don't want to, just get yourself wrapped up and go soak up the atmosphere. I usually abandon DD to the rides and enjoy an hour snooping around all the stalls by myself - always loads of good food available.

I spend the whole of December listening to Christmas songs and watching Christmas movies. On Christmas day I scoff about 1000 pigs in blankets and on Christmas Eve I treat myself to new jammies and fluffy bed socks - I wrap them up...to myself...every year But these are the daft wee things that make Christmas enjoyable to me, so I keep doing them

Are you at all religious? I'm not particularly, but Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve can be wonderful. Is there a local charity you could get involved with that would mean collecting/sorting/delivering toys for disadvantaged children? We bought and then donated some toys to one of our local churches last year - some went to children spending time in the local hospital over the festive period, and the rest went out to children in the community whose families were struggling financially. DD and I spent hours painstakingly wrapping everything up with the biggest, most ridiculous sized bows we could find for the wee ones