Enjoying the Holidays when you are alone
 

The holidays are quickly approaching and, for many people, this can be a dreadful time of year. There are numerous reasons that people struggle with the holidays but one of the issues a lot of people face during this time of year is not having anyone to celebrate the holidays with. This can be due to not having a good relationship with family, being away for school and not having the ability to come back or a number of other reasons. The holidays are supposed to be a time when people get together with their loved ones but when a person doesn't have anyone to celebrate with it can cause the holiday season to drag on and can even lead to depression. However, there are still plenty of activities one can partake in to try toenjoy the holiday season. Here are a list of activities one can try.

Volunteer: For many people, being alone during the holidays is a struggle and so they choose to go out and volunteer. There are numerous places where one can volunteer at during the holidays such as a soup kitchen. If one chooses to go this route they will be able to spend time with other volunteers and even some of the patrons at the soup kitchen.

Travel: Some people who do not have loved ones to spend the holidays with will go on a trip. It can get costly so they would want to make sure that their finances are in order. However, it can be a great way to go somewhere that has been on their radar for a while or to go somewhere that has brought them peace in the past. Getting away from their city can also help them avoid dwelling on the fact that they are alone.

Go to a movie and get something to eat: While most places will be closed during the holidays, it is not uncommon for some restaurants as well as some movie theaters to be open. This can be a great way to spend the holidays since a person would be able to get a really good meal and enjoy a movie they might have been wanting to see. In some instances, it isn't uncommon for people to have the entire movie theater to themselves.

Do something creative: Sometimes being alone on the holidays can bring up a lot of feelings. One of the ways that a person can try to deal with these feelings is to try and do some type of creative activity. This will keep the person from overthinking. Some of the things a person could do is start or continue writing a story, do some drawing or painting, knit or Google some fun DIY activities.

Read a book or watch a movie: For some people, immersing themselves in a good book or some movies can be a great way to distract themselves from the loneliness. Some people might even choose to have a movie marathon where they get a ton of snacks (or make themselves a nice dinner) and then watch movies until the evening ends.

Make new traditions or try to recreate traditions from the past: If someone is enthusiastic about tradition there is nothing wrong with trying to create their own. This can give them something to look forward to each holiday season. Also, if there were traditions from childhood that one enjoyed, they can recreate them but on a smaller level. For example, if the person and their family would have a special dish each holiday meal, they can make that dish but for one.

Find other people who are alone for the holidays: If there are people that a person is close to from work or on campus and they are aware that the person is going to be alone, it could be fun to invite them to come hang out during Thanksgiving or Christmas. Maybe have a movie marathon or make a small meal. This could be a great way to get to meet people and also try to enjoy the holidays with someone else who is dealing with being alone as well.

Make sure to take care of yourself: The holidays are stressful and when someone is alone during the holidays it can cause a lot more stress and unwanted feelings. Making sure to partake in self-care activities can help with this. Self-care allows a person to take proper care of themselves as well as treating themselves with kindness.

The holiday seasons are definitely a tough time for a lot of people. Being alone during the season is never enjoyable. However, hopefully some of these activities will help others to see that one can still have fun during the holidays even though they don't have loved ones to spend it with.