For many of us, spending holidays away from our family is not something we're used to.
It's always a strange feeling, even for a holiday hater like me. Not seeing my mom panicking about how she's going to house and feed my whole family felt foreign. Not watching my brother help out in the kitchen—creating a massive mess that we only tolerate because the resulting food is so good—felt alien. As did not having to pick up my dad from the airport, or being able to cuddle on the couch with my sister-in-law, rolling our eyes at everyone else.
The good thing about spending the holidays by myself is that it gave me the opportunity to brainstorm ideas for what to do to dismantle holiday loneliness before it begins. Here are some tips for those of you who will be spending the holidays solo:
1. Try something new and challenging
What's better than a good, old, fashioned distraction? If you feel the anxiety of being alone creeping up, challenge yourself to go outside your comfort zone (in a healthy, and mostly legal way, of course). It can be as big as cliff jumping or as small as trying a new food. Just put yourself out there. It's one of the only surefire ways to grow.
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2. Make your own feast
You can make whatever you'd like, though I would suggest staying away from traditional holiday dishes. Something tells me that might just make it worse. How about a theme? I'd go with creating the feast of six-year-old me's dreams: cake and pastries for everyone!
3. Be productive—hunker down and watch a whole series on Netflix
You can do it. I believe in you. Follow your dreams. Plus, if you're anything like me, marathons on Netflix will help it to feel like any other random weekday, effectively taking away all of the solo blues you may or may not be having.
4. Go outside
While everyone is inside stuffing their faces, parks, trails and beaches will be yours to explore. Enjoy some sun because, as the Starks have been telling us for many seasons now, "Winter is coming."
5. Do some shopping
Online, that is. Tons of websites are having killer deals as a kind of holiday spectacular. Visit your go-to sites and buy yourself something nice. You've earned it, friend.
6. Build your own squad and celebrate with them
If you can't be with biological family this holiday season, be sure to reach out to friends. If by chance you're both away from family, all the more reason to hang on to each other. Get together and do whatever it is y'all do best. If you need me, my best friend and I will be scarfing junk food and going to a movie in our PJ's. You know, like adults.
