Spending the holidays alone is often stigmatized, but health concerns, travel restrictions, tighter financial budgets, or simply needing some “me time” are all valid reasons to have a solo holiday. If you find yourself alone this holiday season, consider adopting one of these new traditions.
Hang up holiday stockings for a cause
The tradition of hanging up a stocking for every person in the household is a fun way of spreading holiday cheer, however, you can put a charitable twist on it by hanging up stockings for a few of your favorite non-profit organizations or causes.
Label each stocking with a related word to the cause, and every time you hear, say, or read the word somewhere in your home, you can throw in a dollar or an item to donate (depending on what’s most appropriate for the cause).
Once the stockings are full, take your donations to each organization’s donation site, or see if they offer contactless drop-off.
Rewatch the holiday episodes of your favorite TV shows
This is an especially useful suggestion if you have already exhausted your collection of holiday movies but still want to wrap yourself in a comfy blanket and view something festive. Most long-running shows will have at least one or two holiday episodes that you can easily find by doing a quick search on your preferred streaming platform. So grab some cookies and hot chocolate and set up your own private screening of some favorite festive re-runs.
Create “bad” holiday playlists
Shake things up this year by purposefully seeking out the worst holiday music instead of listening to the classics that you’ll hear on the radio anyway. If you need some inspiration to get things going, check out this playlist.
Sing voicemail carols
Do you love caroling but hate standing in people’s doorways in the freezing cold? Well, thanks to modern technology there’s another way to treat your friends and family to your charming voice and holiday spirit. Simply record yourself singing a different Christmas tune or carol for your voicemail in the days leading up to the holiday. You can also ring your loved ones and sing to them live if they pick up, or leave a silly song for them in a voicemail to open later.
Plant a Christmas tree
Partake in the Christmas tree tradition this year with a sustainably conscious twist by finding an organization like A Living Tribute that allows you to pay for a tree and dedicate it to a special someone who has had an impact on you this year. The nonprofit then plants a coniferous tree in a designated US National Forest.
Write letters to your Santa-self
Write a grown-up version of a “letter to Santa” by addressing it to your own “Santa-self,” and making it a self-reflection and goal-setting practice. If you don’t know where to start, try answering these two questions:
- What were you grateful for during the year?
- What do you want to manifest in the new year?
Dream up your own holiday wish-list
Have some fun by fantasizing about all the things you’d like to treat yourself to. If you’re someone who doesn’t often buy things for themselves, then sometimes just making a wish list can feel indulgent and fun. Plus, you never know when some of your big-ticket items will go on sale in the new year.
