A positive thread if you're alone this Christmas

Katy43

Hi berries, I'm sorry you haven't got your horse or spaniel, you must miss them. Pottering around the garden sounds perfect and your dinner plans sound delicious! Prollycat, couldn't agree more with your 'don't stress' message. Maybe we could spend a few moments counting our blessings and thinking about those who will be feeling very low over Christmas.

Pollycat

Katy43 said:

Hi berries, I'm sorry you haven't got your horse or spaniel, you must miss them. Pottering around the garden sounds perfect and your dinner plans sound delicious! Prollycat, couldn't agree more with your 'don't stress' message. Maybe we could spend a few moments counting our blessings and thinking about those who will be feeling very low over Christmas.

Indeed.

My post may have come across as a bit blase but we've learned over the years to be selfish and put ourselves first.

We used to go to my parents for Christmas dinner (OH hated every minute) but after a family disagreement between siblings, we offered to step back as one of my siblings had young children and we felt it fair that my parents saw their grandchildren. It was a total relief for us.

A couple of years down the line, the sibling had fallen out with our parents so Mum asked if we would come for Christmas dinner but we declined and just said we'd made our own tradition of having just the 2 of us.

But - I know there are many people who desperately want to meet up with family but can't.

I was reading about a woman who has terminal cancer so this is her last Christmas and she can't spend it with her family.

That is heart-breaking.

VJsmum

Sarah Millican does a thread on twitter for those alone on Christmas Day - she's been doing it for a few years

Here's the link to her tweet - the hashtag is #joinin
Sarah Millican on Twitter: "For anyone starting to worry about being alone/lonely on Christmas Day, we’ll be doing #JoinIn again on here. If you don't know what it is, it's a hashtag we use to connect all of those who could do with some company. Join us for #JoinIn. Our 10th year." / Twitter

How about a lovely bubbly bath with some luxury products.  A walk if the weather is nice.  A joint zoom present opening? a favourite film, and yummy food.  Phone calls to loved ones, a favourite tipple (or two ), a book you've been meaning to read, tv if there's something you fancy.

pollyanna_26

This is a brilliant idea for a thread. I've had a lot of laptop issues this year and have really missed online contact each time. My youngest dd has been shielding since the beginning of March. I dropped her at her boyfriends as she'd have struggled with just me and her over the months. Cats and a lovely guy outweigh me.

We are a bubble of three but I'd already decided not to visit over the festive season. We've all been extra careful only seeing her every few weeks. She's agreed so I feel better keeping us all safe. A different sort of Chritmas present perhaps.. I'll probably lose myself in books  sit back and recover from the exhaustion of concentrating hard when I have ventured out to a shop etc. She's 36 and we've had 35 good Christmas times . Hopefully more in the future.

pollyx

suejb2

tealady said:

Pollycat, couldn't agree more. Some people turn into Yuletide versions of Bridezillas.
On the years when I have spent the day on my own I didnt plan anything and just did what I wanted when I wanted. They were some of the best days EVER.  

A portmanteau for you...A Yulezilla. Thankfully I don’t know any.

Katy43

Vjsmum; thank you for the link, that's a brilliant idea.

If anyone else knows of anything similar going on, it would be great if you could link them on this thread.

Take care everyone.

Pollycat

Noticed this on BBC News:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55399649

Covid: Seven ways to get through (and enjoy) Christmas on your own

jackieblack

I’m self isolating over Christmas (in order to be able to safely spend 2 days with my CEV parents in the new year) so things like going for a walk aren’t an option and I’m planning to treat it just like any other day.
I’m lucky in that my self isolation was planned and I was able to stock up in advance with everything I will need.  (For several of my colleagues, not to mention all the child’s classmates, who found out yesterday that they now need to self isolate until next Tuesday, due to a positive test result for a child who was in school last week, it was a bolt from the blue throwing all their plans into chaos)

calleyw

I have spent a couple of xmas on my own.  I think it comes down to attitude.  Make it a day all about you.  As silly as sounds buy a couple of presents for yourself and wrap them up to open on xmas day.  Have curry for lunch if that is what you want.  Do what you want when you want.  One of the good things about being single you don't need to beat to anyone elses drum.

Watch films all day, eat chocolates while wearing PJ's wrapped up in a blanket.  Sounds like a good day to me

As has been said people just make it in to one big hype that puts added pressure on themselves to have a perfect christmas.  The perfect christmas is the one that you enjoy.  Every year I see the posts about the stress of cooking christmas lunch its a roast with a few extras. 

This year has been tough all round.  But I hope it makes people think about what we should be grateful for.  I am so lucky that that within my friends and family circles that no one has been ill from covid.  Its going to be hard seeing the new year in on our own. As we have had some fab new years with friends over the last few years.   Just means next years is going to be bigger and better.

I wish everyone no matter how they are spending there christmas.  A nice, peaceful and joyful time.

Yours

Calley x

Wednesday2000

My husband is working nights this week so I will be on my own Christmas eve and he will be in bed sleeping most of Christmas day. It's the third or fourth year in a row he has worked that shift. He does have Christmas day night off work but I will be on my own from 10 pm Christmas eve to about 5 pm Christmas day when he gets up. I do have my dogs and cats, though!

I'm planning on washing the bed covers on Christmas eve so I have nice, fresh sheets to get into at night. We will have a meal and watch a film before he leaves and then I will probably listen to some music or watch another film and then have a bubble bath and get into bed.

I have bought some favourite foods for Christmas day breakfast like fresh orange juice. There is a live YouTube event I was planning on watching online during the day. I don't know what is on TV but I usually watch a carol concert or something during the day too. I might try and finish my current book as well. Oh, I will go for my normal walk as well to feed the birds in the park.