Single adults with no kids - what do you do at Christmas?

SandC

I'm single with no children and usually go to my brothers. I enjoy it but for me I love the build up to Xmas day. I feel festive all through December and most years love the film's, the telly, the ads, the atmosphere and drinking too much.

Turns out my bro and his family have been invited to my sis in laws friends for Xmas dinner for years, and never felt they could accept so me an my step mum have told them they must go there and give themselves a break. Actually feel a bit guilty as it was never a big deal for me, the 'on the day' stuff.

So we are having a nice meal at a gastro pub on Xmas eve, costing a third of what it would be on Xmas day, exchanging gifts then and having a nice time. I have been invited along with my bro Xmas day but I've said I may pop in for a drink in the evening. I will happily spend the day on my own. My step mum has said she's never really seen the point in the Xmas day business since we were young either so she's doing likewise to me, she may see her friend from up the road.

The key for me is not to see it as too much of a big deal. Many people have massive fall outs! Having said that I may not tell friends my plans in case they try to enforce things on me, ha ha!

Oh yeah, and just cos we don't have hubby and kids doesn't mean we should be volunteering for charities any more than people who do have families should be! Just saying....

I am looking forward to it. :-)

BrassicWoman

miss_independent wrote: »

I suppose I would have liked for us to maybe go out somewhere nice for Christmas dinner or go for a walk and play some fun games or something after dinner at home.

I walk off dinner on my own when it's just turned dark and I can have a nosey at people's lights for half an hour. I also use the time to text friends, and post up pictures of the most garish decorations in the village.

Parents have their post dinner snore while I do this. Everyone is happy!

PerfectChristmas

To be honest, we'd do anything to be left alone and let us have the three Christmas 'days' (ie Christmas Eve/Day/Boxing Day).

I'm a carer and it's one of the few days where things will be 'calmer', but my brothers in laws are insisting that we go to them Christmas Day (usually go Boxing Day - again forced). We've said no thank you, but they haven't acknowledged it so I'm guessing there's going to be war.

It's stupid, I wouldn't mind any other day as they're all "the same", but those three days are the only days I get a break out of the entire year and I want to do what I want to do!

BrassicWoman

aww PerfectChristmas.... just agree and then be "ill" on the day with something infectious! A wee white lie is better than war....

Person_one

miss_independent wrote: »

I think the main thing is that I usually feel bored and alone! So I am trying to come up with ways to entertain myself.

Being single is not a reason to feel bored and alone! Maybe you need to have a think about what you can do the rest of the year apart from Christmas to make yourself happier.

PerfectChristmas

Aww thank you It wouldn't be believed though, they're a very forceful family who don't understand 'no', unfortunately.

Don't get me wrong - they are lovely people! - but like I said, I want to be selfish for the only three days I can get away with it I would even agree if they made it Christmas Eve (and told them that when I replied to the email) as then I could do the 'sociable' bit - and then enjoy the other two fully selfish days to myself with my mum!

miss_independent

PerfectChristmas wrote: »

To be honest, we'd do anything to be left alone and let us have the three Christmas 'days' (ie Christmas Eve/Day/Boxing Day).

I'm a carer and it's one of the few days where things will be 'calmer', but my brothers in laws are insisting that we go to them Christmas Day (usually go Boxing Day - again forced). We've said no thank you, but they haven't acknowledged it so I'm guessing there's going to be war.

It's stupid, I wouldn't mind any other day as they're all "the same", but those three days are the only days I get a break out of the entire year and I want to do what I want to do!

I can sympathise PerfectChristmas. I was a carer for 8 years and for those 8 years we were forced to spend Christmas with a relative who made our lives a misery! Now, I see life is too short and I wish we had turned around and explained that it was one of the only times we got to ourselves and we needed a bit of peace and quiet.

When you are a carer I do think you need to find the time where you can to prioritise yourself. Its hard to comprehend how other people can't understand that!

Stick to your guns - you deserve time out for your own sanity.

missbiggles1

I'm on my own this Christmas for the first time in over 30 years. I'm taking dogs, Kindle and DVD box sets to the Mediterranean for 10 days.

Person_one

Nobody can actually force you to do something you don't want to do.

miss_independent

Person_one wrote: »

Being single is not a reason to feel bored and alone! Maybe you need to have a think about what you can do the rest of the year apart from Christmas to make yourself happier.

With all due respect, I do LOTS throughout the rest of the year but things shut down over christmas. I do put lots of effort into the rest of the year and have a very full life. Like a lot of other people, however, Christmas does make me realise that I don't have a family of my own and I would have liked to.