Solo Christmas?

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Before anyone moans it's July this is the Christmas board so valid to ask!!

Has anyone spent Christmas alone and enjoyed it?

For context I live alone and don't mind spending time on my own. A lot of my evenings are filled with nights out to the theatre, meeting up with friends/family etc so I don't ever really feel lonely when I do get some days to myself.

Normally I spend Christmas at my Dad's with my step-family. A couple of years ago he upset my step-family so they spent the following Christmas elsewhere so I went to my Mum's instead. I love my Mum and we get on well but I don't like my step-dad and being in my childhood home always reminds me of how I felt as a child/teenager so I prefer to meet her at mine or go out somewhere.

Something has happened recently with my Dad where I don't want to cut contact completely but I do want to take a big step back and I am worried that spending all of Christmas with him will be too much. But I'm also worried about feeling lonely.

In theory I think I wouldn't mind too much - I could go for a long walk, do a jigsaw, watch a Christmas movie, make some nice food (or go out if anywhere near me is open), start one of the many video games I still haven't started... But worried since it's Christmas Day it will feel a bit lonely.

Has anyone spent Christmas Day solo and enjoyed it? Or did you hate it? Interested to hear anyone's thoughts!

I have when I lived abroad and it felt like a bit of a novelty. Also remember it is such a short day, dark before tea time depending on where you are of course. Sounds like you would feel content spending the day on your own. I think if it was me I might do a short trip, fly on Christmas Eve and go somewhere for a couple of nights, is that an option? Equally a long walk, movie and nice food sounds lovely. I think I would buy some tasty picky bits and a nice Fizz too!

I spend three years out of four spending Christmas and New Year on my own. It's a bit meh, tbh, but I order in Christmas lunch from a local hotel so at least I have that treat.

I think the trick is to play down the fact it's
' Christmas Day ' . If you can treat it like a normal day with a few treats you'll be fine .
I haven't spent the day on my own before but will at some point when my elderly mum passes as I have no other local family .

I enjoy the peace and serenity of a day alone so would start with a nice breakfast . Take the dogs to the beach with a flask of chocolate . Come home and put dinner on .
A nice afternoon of books , jigsaw , Lego , podcasts etc followed by a soak in the bath , new PJ's , then an evening of Christmas movies / Netflix and my body weight in chocolate / champagne.
That will do for me very nicely .

I haven't spent it alone but I think you need a plan! Don't let the day just happen because then you may feel bored or lonely.
Do you go to church? If you do could start with that. A nice breakfast. Are you near a beach or nice forest? You could plan a walk after breakfast.
Choose a movie to watch in advance, puzzle or book to read whatever you are in to.
Have a lovely dinner and some treats and make sure you have other things to look forward to or people to meet up with around Christmas even if its not on Christmas day.

Sheer indulgence, I think.
Plan it as if you were planning for someone very special.
Do the Christmas decorating with 'you' in mind.
Lovely edible treats that you would not normally have - one day's indulgence won't hurt.
Something very nice to go in your bath or shower.
A book or film that you really want to see, save it up until then.
No cutting corners, you are dealing with a VIP.

Your normal family and friends meet ups - can they be Christmas eve and/or Boxing day? Something either side of the day?

I think if you could see it as 'the holiday', rather than the one day it would be a series of events 'over christmas'.
If you can, avoid being on your own right over the holiday.

Funny you should start this, as I almost wrote the exact post earlier.

I intend to go all out! No different to it if I had friends/family round. I have done my years of entertaining and I intend to spoil myself this Xmas and the planning has started already 😄

I may possibly go to church… I am not a church goer but I remember fondly as a child attending church/mass over the Xmas period and I’m all up for trying something new and getting into the spirit of what it’s all about.

I will go all out on the decorating, will even be making some of my own decs; popcorn and cranberry garlands, orange slices and have been picking up pine cones and other Xmas paraphernalia in prep.

Food will be courtesy of M&S and Waitrose and I’ve already purchased some liqueurs for those cocktail/drinks that you only ever indulge in at Xmas.

Next is a radio, not the tv but a proper radio that I can have in the background on the lead up and for Xmas day, but above all, I refuse to feel sad or lonely.

I love Xmas, I actually spend all year waiting for it! And I won’t let the fact that I’m on my own mar it. And of course I’ll be on Mumsnet and I know that they’ll be plenty of us all in the same boat and I look forward to reading how everyone’s day is going.

Thanks for all the responses so far :)

To confirm I would probably only be alone on Christmas Day itself, I have a long-standing Christmas Eve tradition with family that I would still attend and would probably spend Boxing Day with my Mum. Every year we have extended closure from work and I always look forward to the chance to hibernate for a few days but then always end up pencilling things in and I only end up with one full day to myself!

Some really good suggestions so far, interesting to hear everyone's thoughts!

If I was alone I think I would miss having presents to unwrap (although you may get things sent from family or friends?) and I would order myself a beauty mystery box and maybe one of those boxes where you get tea/coffee and a book in a genre you enjoy or something similar that fits your interests. I would also buy an expensive bath bomb and watch a Christmas movie on an iPad in the bath with a hot chocolate or glass of Prosecco!

I have. Only once, sadly (I’m not counting the year I had flu and was too ill to lift my head off the pillow) but it was flipping lovely.

Started with a lay in, then a bacon sandwich and a book in a hot bubble bath (followed by a shower to get rid of the crumbs!). I made myself a lovely roast dinner so I could have turkey sandwiches for tea and bubble & squeak on Boxing Day. Lots of my favourite chocolate and nibbles, lots of fruit, my favourite drinks, black & white films, a good book, music and fairy lights. It was flipping lovely.

You do need to plan though. I knew what I was eating, watching, reading & listening to. I think I would have wasted the day and probably had Pringles for lunch if I hadn’t planned it.

What’s your ideal day? For me it would be sleeping, food, wine, naps, general indulgence. I think if you can make it still feel like a treat day because you’re really doing what you want, it would be great!

You could buy yourself some luxury stocking fillers now, wrap them and put them aside and if your memory is anything like mine you’ll have forgotten what they are by Christmas.

I spent many Christmas’s on my own from early twenty’s to mid 30s. I lived overseas so no family and never felt comfortable at friends houses, so I’d opt to being alone.

i use to love having the house to myself no flatmates. I had some local friends and would occasionally have brunch at home or something with them, but plenty just on my own.

My Christmas dinner, my favourite was a chicken burger, not a fan of turkey. I’d season some chicken breasts and grill, add salad, cranberry sauce and anything else I fancied, usually nice chunks of Camembert, severed with home made chunky chips or wedges. I’d enjoy a bottle of bubbly or 2 while spending the day watching old carry on movies and Dr Who on tv. Basically anything British and anything I’d watch growing up.

Christmas was the middle of summer, id always plan a walk but never quite made it as it was usually too hot. I friend convinced me one year to walk along the beach, it didn’t feel Christmassy at all so I didn’t do it again.

id always blast Christmas songs and have a boogie to myself 😂

I haven't ever spent Christmas on my own - and I don't discount any apprehension - but I think I would be slightly excited to spend a lovely day with myself.

On Christmas Eve I'd clean my house, change the bed, put out clean towels and then get out for the rest of the day, Perhaps see if I could volunteer somewhere. Nothing like helping those less fortunate to realise how blessed we are. Coming home would feel like a lovely sanctuary. Lock all the doors, light candles and watch Elf.

I'd have a nice, treat-y breakfast on Christmas Day and break into a little bag of treats/ presents that I'd put together for myself (including posh bubble bath) - and then get out somewhere. Church or a walk round the park to see all the kids with new bikes.

For lunch I'd have some M&S canapés.

I'd watch the King and then maybe a Christmassy film.

For supper I'd have more M&S yumminess.

Bubble bath with my posh bubble bath and into bed early with a good book.

It's only one day - I'd make an event of it for myself.

Sending you love and good wishes.

This ⬆️

I was widowed 8 years ago, and was very nervous about my first Christmas on my own - so I armed myself with a plan than was there if I needed it!

Leading up to Christmas, I recorded everything that I might like on tv, so a large amount of stuff to watch, bought nice bits of food and treats during the few weeks beforehand, also bath smellies and nice hand cream, body lotion etc.

Bought the Christmas dinner stuff, but in smaller amounts and gritted my teeth in readiness…

It was fine, I had a few invitations but turned them down gracefully as didn’t want to sit at peoples tables as “the widow” Instead, people rang me on the day which was kind of them.

The Ddog - bless her - and I spent the day together, eating, lounging, snoozing, chatting on the phone, having a walk, lovely lunch and really luxurious bath etc, and to be honest, the day was quite pleasant. It’s only 24hrs, soon passed, soon into early spring and a fresh new year.

If you have company Christmas Eve and Boxing day I wouldn’t stress about Christmas Day.

I’d get in the nicest food I could and have a wonderfully relaxed day just pleasing myself. Maybe speak to people by phone or face time but if not, I’d be watching the films I like, drinking whatever booze I like and entertaining myself with whatever I enjoy whether that be a computer game or a jigsaw.

You could volunteer (I have and enjoyed it) but I don’t think it’s for everyone.

Make Christmas Day your day - totally please yourself!

Yes many times. I always have invitations but can't be bothered with all the fuss and mouse. It' s been fine. Nice food, specific programmes to listen to/ watch, books and chocolate. Have a plan. Don't get persuaded to go somewhere u don't want to go

Oh God, it sounds fabulous! Just do whatever you like - it doesn't have to be "Christmassy ",
Stay in your PJs/ read books/ get drunk..... I don't know. Or just treat it as a normal day, and ignore all the nonsense.
Can you afford to go away? A European city break would be fab, as lots of them (eg Amsterdam, Vienna, Venice) open their museums and art galleries on 25th, and it's just perfect.

Go on a cruise. You can be with people or alone. Up to you

Thanks for all your thoughts, really appreciate them :)

Going away probably not an option unfortunately due to timing and money, something to keep in mind though if solo Christmas becomes a regular occurrence.

Totally understand what you mean @PearlSlaghoople (and sorry for your loss!) - I told my friend I was considering spending Christmas alone and she invited me to spend it with her but the trouble is she already spends Christmas at a friends house with their family and I don't know them. The only thing worse than spending Christmas alone would be spending it with a handful of strangers!

From what everyone is saying I think the most important thing is to have a plan for the day, have already started thinking about what to get up to :)

Just wanted to update that solo Christmas was a success - I was really busy with friends and family during the build-up and then my friend came over on Boxing Day to stay for the night. In total I only really spent Christmas Day on my own (though my Mum came to visit for most of the morning) and it was actually quite nice to just amuse myself and have a day to let the social burnout wear off.

Didn't do anything too special but even that was quite nice. My Mum has also suggested shaking things up this year - she's talked about going away for Christmas for years and thinks this year might be the year so I'm wondering whether to do the same.

Thanks to everyone that posted advice, I really appreciated it :)