To the Person Who's Going to Be Alone on Christmas

Christmas was the only thing this year it seemed like the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t take away from us, but here we are — making the impossible choice to stay alone on a day that’s meant to be spent with family, friends, coworkers or communities that fill us with joy.

The most frustrating part of making this decision is the lack of understanding it’s being met with this year. There are so many mixed views and emotions tied into this pandemic, but I know you made this choice because it was the right choice for you — and let’s face it, we both know the right choice does not always mean it’s the easiest.

As Christmas Day approaches, you may be wondering how you’re going to do being alone on Christmas or what you will even do to make it still feel like Christmas this year. That’s where I’m hoping to help you because I don’t want you to feel lonely or sad on Christmas for making this impossible choice — no one deserves to feel that way.

Please know it’s OK to feel envious if you see others carrying on with their usual Christmas traditions. It can be easy to fall into the FOMO (fear of missing out) mindset and if you find yourself feeling worse while browsing social media, it’s OK to recognize that and take a break from it when you need one.

During this day, it is critical that you do things that make you happy.

As you move through this Christmas, I commend you for being strong and staying home during this holiday — despite any guilt trips others may be trying to put on you. You have made this choice with valid reason and that is what matters most. Sometimes people do not understand the choices we make because they’re not in our shoes and that can be hard to tolerate sometimes, but at the end of the day — this is your life and your choice.

You are not alone today — there are so many other people out there who have made the same choice as you so try to spin things this way if it helps — by staying home alone, along with many others, you are contributing to the spirit of Christmas during a global pandemic and that is a powerful action to take. Thank you!

However, I want to make sure even if you are alone this Christmas that you can still find ways to enjoy it. That’s why I’ve gone ahead and shared some ideas on how to survive Christmas alone this year with this letter. I really hope you will see some things you want to do so you can have some cheer and make it through this day not only safe, but happy.

Thank you so much for doing the right thing and sacrificing your Christmas traditions to do your part. You are the reason we will continue to survive and thrive during this pandemic.

Sending you my absolute best and warmest wishes,

— EndoSara

Are You Alone This Christmas? Use These Ideas to Make It Through!

Would you rather create your own mantra to use? Head on over to my passion project at The Metta Life and scroll to the bottom of this page to see my process on how I create my own mantras.

Technology Is Your Friend

Christmas is looking a lot different this year for a lot of people and sometimes it’s comforting to know that even though you’re not with anyone, there are a lot of people in the world who made the same choice about staying home. Perhaps you’re staying in because you or someone you love is high-risk or has been exposed to COVID-19. Whatever the reason, technology can still be your friend on Christmas.

If you have internet access, you can download a free app known as Zoom, which lets you set up a private chat room with the ability to use web cameras, chat or audio — or all of those things at once. All you need to do is invite people via email and they can join you. I know this isn’t the exact same as being in person, but this can really be helpful if you want to spend time with someone on Christmas.

And Zoom has really stepped up this year and will be removing their 40-minute time limit on meetings within their free accounts from 10 a.m. ET Wednesday, December 23rd, to 6 a.m. ET Saturday, December 26th, for Christmas Eve and Christmas.

You could literally leave Zoom on all day with people you would be spending Christmas with if you decided to stay home and that is pretty magical. You could even watch others open gifts, eat a meal with them, watch movies together and so much more.

To learn more about Zoom and how to download it, check out this link.

Additionally, Facebook has the option to video chat with others so if you would prefer that route, here’s an article to learn how to do that, as well as Skype, and these are both free to use too!

Reflection on Christmas Traditions

Ask yourself what makes Christmas so special besides the people you usually spend this day with?

• Is it yummy food?
• Is it the Christmas movie marathons with popcorn in your fuzziest pajamas?
• Is it the mimosa you enjoy after everyone opens presents and you can finally relax?
• Having the frosted cookie contest to see whose cookie turns out the best (and the worst)?
• Saying a Christmas prayer with the family?
• Drinking hot cocoa in the dark admiring your Christmas tree or looking out the window to see a fresh blanket of snow?

Make yourself a list of what you love about Christmas and decide which things you can do by yourself to still make it feel like Christmas and do them — don’t feel bad about doing these things without the people you are usually with if they make you happy because they might be doing the exact same thing!

Virtual Christmas Activity Ideas

Need a fun idea that everyone can do? How about having everyone you usually spend Christmas with enjoy a coloring contest?

It’s always great to have an activity and all you need is a printer and something to color with (markers, crayons, colored pencils, highlighters, etc.) and this can make things easier for everyone to do if they don’t have any coloring books around the house.

You could all turn on Zoom or another online video platform and color together while drinking some hot cocoa, then share your finished piece when it’s all done. This is also a great activity that kids can enjoy too!

Here’s a great list of games you can play virtually with friends and family on Christmas even when you’re not together. This second list has games from the classical fun Uno to Mario Kart. Trust me, you can still have some fun on Christmas by playing games with others from afar.

Some other fun ideas might be to try and re-wrap a gift with your eyes closed, or maybe see who has the best/worst wrapped present to lighten the mood. It can also be fun to bake goodies with one another while on the phone or enjoying Christmas caroling together.

What other activities can you do virtually? Please let our community know in the comments so we can help share our ideas with others who need some ideas on Christmas!

Christmas Cheer Is Possible

We’re fortunate to have a lot of accessible technology that can really help us during the pandemic. Even if you don’t want to use video, go ahead and pick up the phone to call someone and hear their voice. That alone can be comforting.

Additionally, if you find yourself struggling on Christmas (whether you’re alone or not), please don’t forget about The Mighty community — who you can connect with through their app 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s full of encouraging posts, ideas, thoughts and articles with wonderful people. I cannot tell you how many times this community has helped me and made me feel less alone on my bad days and you never know — you might have the story to tell that someone else needs to hear.