So this year I will be completely alone at Christmas - any ideas?

[Pacif1cDogwood]

Divorce is about to come through.
DSs 1-4 will be with STBXH.
My family live abroad - I would need to quarantine both ways if I were to travel which I have no intention of doing (my dad is 87 and really me visiting them would be such a risk).

I like my own company.
I am not a sentimental type - last year I had the boys, this year he does. Hey ho.
But I'd still like to have some kind of plan, I think.

So:

1. I could work. Plenty of work available over the holidays in my profession, would be v handsomely paid.
2. I could volunteer. Shelter? There must be something somewhere I could meaningfully do.
3. I could pack the dog and me in the car and camp out in the country side for a couple of nights (easily accessible wilderness near where I live, I would not even have to leave my health board area ).
4. I could stay at home and eat and drink my body weight in yummy but empty calories

Anybody else in a similar situation? What are your plans??
I am not actually dreading being on my own over the holiday, I'm more worried that I am not worried IYKWIM - maybe I am deluding myself?!
Dunno.

Tell me you've experienced this and It Was Absolutely Fine.
Ta muchly.

How long will your DC be gone? If it's just an overnight then I'd be inclined to stay at home, eat & drink all my favourite things and generally slob around! Something I'm sure you rarely get to do with 4 DC!
If it's longer than a day or so then I'd work either side of it and at least you'll have the opportunity to earn a few bob extra.
Whatever you decide, enjoy

1 if you needed the money.

4 if you need the break. Sounds lovely tbh.

I have Christmas with my kids but I’m alone ever New Year- last year I ate some nice food and was in bed by 10pm. I would go for a combination of 1 and 4 if you can work a bit and have some time to slob out too, enjoy full use of the tv control

Is it work you can do at home? Can you choose your hours? If so, I'd combine work with slobbing around eating and drinking. Maybe with a walk if you've got somewhere nice to walk locally.

2 if you're a doer. My friend volunteers every year and she loves it.

I don't know how it'll be happening this year though.

I’d do a modified version of 3, and rent myself a lighthouse or anywhere small, high and coastal. You can always eat and drink your body weight once there! It will be lovely.

Aw, thanks for replying, all!

DSs won't be far (same village) but might be gone for a week? STBXH not very forthcoming with making and then sticking to plans....

Ok, option 1 and 4 are forerunners just now, noted.

No, it's not work from home. It would be NHS frontline/Covid/OOH work which is notoriously understaffed in my area and I know I would have my arm bitten off if I wanted shifts.

HardlyEver, I would LOVE that! But am a bit wary of whatever travel ban there might still be in place... Also many of the truly remote/while naice places are of course booked by now over the holiday and mostly really v expensive. Humph.

First weekend without my dd I was a bit of a mess, but by the time it was my first Christmas I was, as you say, ever so pragmatic. And actually it was fine. It was a bit odd knowing everyone else is eating turkey and singing carols around a piano etc, but I watched non festive stuff and ate non festive shit and got a bit pissed and it was Absolutely Fine. And then the next day it was over and that was that.
Volunteering is a lovely idea if a viable option. Camping is not something I would ever encourage anyone to do. Chilling is always marvellous, particularly after a spectacularly odd year. However, if it will give you a little heap of money to spend on great boots/a fabulously decadent house accessory/a night or two away somewhere wonderful with the kids, work could be a good option. Something to bring happiness or a date on the calendar would be lovely. And maybe it would enable a colleague to spend time with their beloved family, knee deep in washing up and arguments...

I’ll be alone too. I’m not sure how old you are (I’m 29) My plan is:

Christmas morning - yummy breakfast followed by a long bath.

Early afternoon - planning to go out for a long walk for a couple of hours then home to put comfy pyjamas on. Start cooking my favourite meal and watch a Christmas film. Have a few drinks and some snacks for later.

It will be different but I’m hoping I’ll enjoy it. I don’t think you should work fwiw. I vote option 4

I'd go for a mix of 3&4. Take the dog out for a really good long walk, maybe somewhere new? We got a book of circular walks in our county when we had a bit if time off but no holiday. It was nice to explore new areas close to home.
Then after your walk easy, drink, read, be merry. It's not a traditional Christmas but I think it sounds lovely. You couldn't be lonely with a four legged best friend.

*eat

I think, unless you really need a break now, you might as well work and earn the money now and treat yourself to a really nice break somewhere in the spring when the weather will be better and (we hope) there'll be far fewer restrictions.

Thanks again, everybody

I'm 55.

Good point about DDog - no chance of being too lonely with him around! And his farts will keep me warm....

I’d do a mixture of 1 and 4. So you’ll earn some money and then have a lovely rest at home.

How rich are you?

How many holidays do you have accrued? I'd be very tempted to work actually and save some money to put towards next Xmas when you have your ds or extra fab holidays.... Treats in the new year? Extra nights away...

I’d probably work, save the money and treat myself to a nice trip somewhere in the summer when hopefully things are a bit more normal.

I am about to take one a massive mortgage by myself so will be brick-rich but money-poor

I will have some days off in the New Year's week when the boys will be with me, so I could earn some money during the Christmas holiday and then splurge it with them? That might be a good idea actually - find a light house to be with crazy offspring and the mutt

I would mix it up. Work Christmas Day... have company, brighten someone else’s day...
Chill to the max on Boxing Day... wine, a day of indulgence and treat yourself to something in the sales with your pennies from working the day before!

you won;t be alone though-you'll have DDog! I've spent xmas alone with just ddog and it wasn;t that bad! Pj's, xmas movies and chill. nice walk to work up an appetite then a wee roast!
Feels odd but its not that bad. Its just a day after all.

Working in the NHS on Christmas Day is actually really quite good fun and hugely satisfying, so not something I'd fear or anything. I would just have to get over my innate inertia...

I'd work for the cash and to curry favour with colleagues. And I'd indulge myself when I'm at home with a good book, a deep bath and a right good wank.

I'll be alone with the cat. Started a thread about what food to eat recently and got some great ideas
I'm planning to gently float away in a cheese and carbs coma. With Netflix (Christmas cheesy films), long baths, naps and er that's about it

I think that if you're frontline NHS then definitely work rather than volunteer. Your already doing an amazing job and clearly have useful skills which are better used there. And you earn at the same time. But it's exhausting being a single parent and if you need the time to recharge your batteries you should absolutely take it. Working in the current situation is exhausting, PPE makes it twice as hard and some down time before you have to go back and face it all again might be good for you.

I'm a nurse OP and in your situation I think I would definitely work. Your colleagues would be so grateful to have the help, you'll have company, the day will go quickly and as you say Christmas Day is actually a really nice shift to work!
Do an early shift then go home and cook your favourite meal, enjoy a relaxing bath and then watch a good film and drink wine and eat chocolate.