Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but for many of us it's not. As the cards and carols remind us, Christmas is supposed to be a time for families and togetherness and peace and well being for all. If only the problems in life paid more attention to the songs on the radio and it really was that easy.
The holidays are hard to face alone. Whether you're single or broken up, your spouse is on deployment, or there has been a death in the family, Christmas can be a heartbreaker. But just because you're not going to be surrounded by family this year is no reason not to have a great Christmas. With a little planning, it can be a wonderful time of year.
1. Decorate the house.
Even if you're the only one who's going to see it, take the time to decorate your home. Put up a Christmas tree, hang some lights. Send out cards. Make Christmas cookies. One of the hardest things about spending Christmas alone is the feeling that everyone else is having a great time and you've been excluded. Make sure you're not exluding yourself.
2. Plan something special.
There's nothing worse than hearing everyone's excitement over the upcoming holidays and having nothing to look forward to yourself. If you haven't got big plans for the next couple of weeks, now is the time to fix that. Plan a treat for yourself, something really special. Not only will something positive be added to your holiday, but it'll give you a great answer to that dreaded question "so what are you doing for Christmas?"
3. Be around other people.
Sitting around the house by yourself on Christmas day is enough to depress anyone. Find people to be with. If you have friends that are alone this Christmas, host a dinner at yhour house. If you'd like to help out somewhere there's always soup kitchens and charities that need people on Christmas day. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you have someone to say "Merry Christmas" to.
4. Give yourself some quiet time.
Sometimes the reason we're alone at Christmas is a sad one. If this is you this season, give yourself the time and the permission to feel sad, just don't don't let it become your focus. Christmas has a way of turning the world into a fantasy place where everyone is happy and everything is wonderful. Resist the urge to fake a smile all through the month of December. If your heart is broken this year, take the time to remember, to look at old pictures, to mourn. Just make sure you call a friend afterwards and go for coffee or some other relaxing activity to connect you to people. Life does go on.
Claire Colvin is the Editor of Women Today Magazine. She has a B.A. in English from Trinity Western University and is looking forward to spending this holiday with her new sisters. Copyright Women Today Magazine. Reprinted with permission.
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