5 Tips to make your Solo Christmas Awesome!

Our borders are open but not everyone will be able to reunite with their families this Christmas. Outside of the obvious situation there are many reasons why you may be spending the holidays alone. However, it does not have to be sad or boring. Here are 5 tips to make your solo Christmas awesome. And they are coming from an expat who spends most of her Christmases away from family.

The first question to ask yourself is, do you want to be alone? Depending on your answer, a whole set of possibilities will open up for you. I am not big on celebrating Christmas day, but I have traditions that I follow even when I choose not to spend time with family.

1. Make the most of your alone time

If you are spending Christmas alone by choice then the most obvious tip is to make the most of your alone time. Perhaps you have a personal project you want to tackle or get a head start on before the new year. This quiet period is the perfect opportunity to work on it.

Another great way to spend the day is to make it a self care day. Plan to spend the day doing the things you love. These could be traditions you would otherwise do with your family or simply things that give you joy. The key ingredient is that it is something you love. So whether that is diving into a book you’ve been wanting to read or spending time on the beach soaking up the sun, do it.

2. Travel

Our borders are open, I know I can’t stop saying that. But after being pretty much locked in for so long, its still a bit surreal to me. You may not be able to go ‘home’ or see your family this Christmas, but you can still travel. Perhaps a long weekend to one of the sister islands for some much needed downtime. Traveling during Christmas is the perfect opportunity to get away from all the festivities, spend time alone or meet like minded people.

Want to embark on a solo trip this Christmas? Depending on how much time you have and how far you want to go there are many locations suited for solo travel. I recently took a solo trip to Costa Rica and met up with friends. And it was the perfect break I needed at the time to just get away from the day to day stressors. The important thing is to do your research before embarking on your solo trip. Also another great benefit of solo travel is meeting other solos!

3. Make it a Friends Christmas

Love Christmas and don’t really want to spend the day alone? Chances are your friends are in a similar situation and would relish having someone to spend the day with. When I lived in Bermuda, one of the traditions I took on as an expat was Christmas on the beach. On Christmas day the expats on island and locals alike would gather to spend the day enjoying the beach, food and good company.

4. Bring Cheer to someone

One way to forget about your troubles is to help someone in need. On Christmas day you could spread cheer by doing something nice for someone. This could be a neighbour, work colleague or perfect stranger. No need to make a big show of it, let the act of kindness speak for itself to the person receiving it. There are lots of opportunities to give back in Cayman and this Cayman Parent article is a good place to find something that speaks to you.

5. Try Something New

And last but not least, try something new. It doesn’t need to be anything grand or take up your whole day, but perhaps starting a new tradition might do it for you. My Christmas tradition is baking and I love the joy my cakes bring to my friends.

Have an Awesome Solo Christmas

Yes, Christmas is just one day, but it can be a really long one if you are not enjoying it. So here’s to making your solo Christmas an awesome one. Play your Christmas music or not. Cook your favourite meal or order in. Spend time with others on your couch. As long as you are fulfilled, that’s all that matters.

Will you be having a solo Christmas this year? How do you plan to get through the day and the season? I hope you find this post helpful and have yourself an awesome solo Christmas!