topic Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season in BB Social Zone

A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Eagle Ray — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 00:51:29 GMT

Hi, I just thought I’d start a thread for those of us who will be alone on Christmas Day or during the festive season generally and would like somewhere to chat and connect.

I will most likely have a quiet Christmas Day at home, cooking some simple meals as I usually do and enjoy my hobbies such as photography and photo editing. I might go for a swim in the ocean.

Feel free to connect here on Christmas Day or over the festive period if you are alone and would like somewhere to chat. You might like to share how you are making it an enjoyable time or reflective time or whatever it is for you. Feel free to share anything festive you are doing and also feel free to share if you are not doing festive activities. Also, feel free to share if you are with others on Christmas Day but feeling a bit lonely as I know that can happen sometimes too.

Wishing everyone a peaceful time over the holiday season 🤗

Eagle Ray

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

randomxx — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 09:20:49 GMT

Hi there ER , nice idea saw it in Peter's thread.

l know there's usually a thread around at Christmas bc as you say with so many of us spending it alone.

l've been away and solo last few mths and will be through Christmas too. Although where l'm based right now will for sure be full of families and friends all here holidaying along the river and having a well of a time so l'll probably be extra extra solo tbh but can't be helped. lf not hot l'll probably just stay in mostly but if it is l'll probably swim a bit too and just make some food or something and drop into here ha ha.

Best to all

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Eagle Ray — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 11:35:58 GMT

Hey rx,

Sounds a bit similar to me here as it turns into a holiday town here this time of year and will be full of families at Christmas. It’s always really nice to see the families enjoying themselves here - swimming, kayaking, fishing, picnicking etc. But I know what you mean about being extra extra solo when others are very much together. I don’t mind a quiet day to myself though. If I go for a swim I’ll be amongst it all as the local beach gets busy. It’s the only time of year it gets like that. It’s pretty quiet the rest of the time. The town pretty much doubles in size over the summer holidays.

I’m glad you’ve got your spot by the river. It’s good to have the option of a swim if it gets hot. I hope it’s a nice relaxing day and, yes, see you here if you drop in.

Cheers,

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Croix — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 12:12:40 GMT

Dear ER~

An excellent idea, as you know Christmas highlights being alone. I'll pop in as I expect I will be spending the day alone, Mrs C will be visiting elsewhere this year (we take it turn about)

Croix

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Eagle Ray — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 12:28:39 GMT

That will be great to see you Croix. I hope all has gone well with the fishing trip and you had a nice break.
Best wishes,

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

randomxx — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 21:21:15 GMT

Gday er.

Your in a holiday spot too eh. God they live it up round here l tell ya with their speed boats and toys, huge groups of families or friend groups. lt amazes me how many people some people know.

l kinda prepared earlier ha ha and l've set up well back in the trees away from the crowds - hopefully, just a stroll for a swim.

Hi there Croix. So you guys don't fit with ea others families or ?l use to dread the day at ex w's family , longest Chirs days ever. One thing l thank the Gods for, don't have to do that anymore. Although l use to stay home on my own some yrs too.

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Eagle Ray — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 22:19:52 GMT

Hi rx,

Yes, definitely see people living it up. I think it was two Christmases ago I saw Santa on a jet ski 😂 I’m glad you are well prepared and found your nice spot in the trees away from the crowds 👍

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Croix — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 12:18:57 GMT

Dear Rx

It is not a question of not getting on, it is simply I work over Xmas and so Mrs C stays with me one year and visits her daughter grandchildren on the mainland the next. Sadly it is not possible for her family to visit interstate to here.

I expect as times goes on (or I am out of a job) that things will change and out will come the paper plates, disposable glasses and pre-purchased food (we do not believe in wasting too much time in the kitchen away from others cooking and washing up).

Croix

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

randomxx — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:47:44 GMT

Thx er, Santa on a jet ski though hey , go gettem Santi,

Hi there Croix . But ah fair enough then , great that Mrs C can get over to see them anyway hey.

All the best

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Beaser — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 22:14:27 GMT

Hi to all and best wishes.

I am having a quiet Christmas .

Lunch with some friends and probably home late arvo.

Im a lot more fortunate than others i know that but i still find it a tough time.

I really want to send my best wishes to all .

I would really be interested to hear what others are up to no matter how quiet things may be.

Chat soon hopefully.

Beaser

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Eagle Ray — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 00:20:59 GMT

Nice to hear from you Beaser. Yes, feel welcome to check in on Christmas Day. I look forward to hearing what others are doing too, no matter how quiet. Christmas can certainly be whatever we want it to be.

All the best and, yes, chat soon 🙂

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

randomxx — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 09:49:04 GMT

More people have started rolling in here over the wkend but it hasn't even began . Some come in groups of 40 or 50, some even double that, others at least 5 or 10.

One clan could be 10 tents a few vans a few car sleeping tents and then all their cars and take up 100mtrs along the river, just the 1 group.There can be dozens of those all along. My strip here is 3 or 300mtrs then there's gaps of bush and tracks all the ways along down for ks' , and then there's a rbig river beach around the bend. All those gaps in the tress right along get all filled ith 100s and 100s more and the beach down bend already has a few 100vans there,they'll all be 1mtr apart all the way along in a few more days except for the bushy gaps with trees in between.

lt should be heaven and almost is if your one of them up here on holidays and having a ball but if you seem to be the only one along 10k of river and bush on your own and end up bombarded with all these groups all around you and partying up, it's just downright depressing.

l tried to set up in an away spot , knew it was all coming seen it on wkends here too. l'm 25mtrs back away from the river, tucked back in the trees. Normally no one sets up close to or around this spot and l tried to place the van on a private angle facing away from the crowds that'll come, but already someones come and setup 7mtrs over right in front of my van door , can't win. They don;t usually set up that close to hare but now others will see them there and come set up all around them too, that's what people do, it's weird but they do.

l'd be quite cool on my own for this one otherwise no problem , but all this man, talk about salt in the face. Next few days there'll prob be tipple the people here.

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Eagle Ray — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 12:43:27 GMT

Oh wow rx, that’s intense. It sounds like sardines packed in. While I thought you might have company that’s way more so than I imagined. I understand that feeling a bit much, having people just 7 metres away. I guess it’s a bit difficult to find somewhere else now, at least on the river.

Well I hope at least it’s not too hot on Christmas Day. I hope you can find some respite in a book or an afternoon nap or coming to chat here. I’m in Perth at the moment and it’s intensely hot but heading home to my town tomorrow which is cooler. My town tends to bust at the seams this time of year so it’ll be getting hectic there too.

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

randomxx — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 14:24:10 GMT

Yeah l've only seen it packed like that on one long wkend but it's been as peaceful as though ever since. So l decided to risk just staying put now to get through Christmas bc it;s such a gorgeous area and it wasn't looking bad too until just a few days ago. Kingdom for a crystal ball sometimes right.

l knew there'd be some turn up for sure but unfortunately it looks like it's gonna get packed again. There's lots of other spots all through the area but if this one gets packed they'll all be packed soooo, l'll have to ride it out now by the look.

So your heading back tomorrow hey , probably lucky you won't be in Perth at least l guess l suppose that'll be bursting too.

l'm planning on heading down to the coast in a wk or 2, too hot up here for me, just wanna let Christmas and holiday traffic blow over first.

And yep, gonna be hot , 38 and 40, spend the days in the river looking at my toes ha ha.

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Beaser — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 20:18:18 GMT

Thanks ER.

Been a bit tough at times this Christmas approach.

Im not sure why but ive avoided a few situations and people as i just dont feel up to it this year.

I wonder if anyone else feels similar at times.

Best wishes to all.

Beaser

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Eagle Ray — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:13:45 GMT

Hey Beaser,

I think it’s quite common that many feel the lead up to Christmas is a bit tough, especially for those of us on our own. I’ve just come back from a week in the city and I think that’s helped me this year because I got to catch up with a number of people which felt connecting and inclusive. So I’ll be on my own on Christmas Day but I feel like the connections of the past week will help sustain me through that.

I hope you are doing ok. I think sometimes we need time to ourselves too so it’s ok not to try to do everything leading up to Christmas. Perhaps you just feel you need a bit of space to yourself this year? I think it’s ok to just do the catching up and socialising that you feel like doing. Sometimes it’s good to push ourselves to be social but other times it’s good to have our own space. I think go with what feels intuitively right for you.

Take care and best wishes,

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

randomxx — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 21:05:36 GMT

Yeah know what you mean ER , same really.

I've had a few calls with family , and with my daughter too so alls good now. l wasn't too bothered about anything else it's nice to be away and sit it out for once. For me it was mainly just on how the crowd situation would end up with where l'm staying and worrying about being bombarded with people was my only thing.

But they've stopped coming now so that'll probably be it until after Christmas day now l'm thinking but things are still pretty spacey around me atm so l should be able to just do my thing. Thankfully most of them have all gone and set up further down along the river by the looks so far.

Mind you could still be heaps roll in today yet but l'm thinking it might be done for now, cross fingers.

Hope everyone is doing ok.

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Eagle Ray — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:01:45 GMT

Hey rx,

It’s good it’s looking like it won’t be so crowded for you after all. Glad you had those chats with family.

I think there’s something about being on the road that helps too. I noticed that waking up back here at home this morning I do feel more on my own again. If I’m travelling on my own it feels different. In Perth I was staying in the detached studio unit of a family who are the loveliest people. They were so lovely to their kids and it was just a nice energy to be around and hear their kind voices. Back here it is really quiet and peaceful, yet I miss being around them.

When I have just a suitcase and I’m travelling around I seem to be at my happiest. It constantly reminds me that we don’t need a lot in life. So I totally get you being drawn to the road rx. I hope it’s settled where you are and not too many more roll in today.

Cheers,

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

randomxx — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:31:54 GMT

Some families just know how to be a real family don't they hey and heave hearts in the right place, lovely to see.

Yeah l've wanted to minimize right back a few yrs now and when l'm done with this it's not gonna be stopping there, craving simplicity and minimalist from here for life. Cracks me up the things l have to think about now like hmmm, what will l make for tea or hmm, l'm hungry, or l need something at the shop or, l might go crash for awhile- all the big stuff in life ha ha.

But yep travelings too is a beautiful feeling isn't it, especially if you can manage in a way where things don't matter too much like where to stay or costs or money or pressures at home and on and on , if you can just be free, can't beat it.

Anyway, you have a nice day hey

Re: A Place for People Alone Over the Festive Season

Eagle Ray — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:42:07 GMT

Yes, some families are just working as a family should. I heard the mum say to her young son the other day, “I love you so much and I’m so looking forward to going to the beach with you today”. Just to hear and see the kids be so loved is beautiful. They are really good people.

I totally hear you about going minimalist. I feel it is how we are meant to live. That simplicity is everything. I’ve realised the meaning of life is in that simplicity. Like the other day I walked to a park and lake near where I was staying. I so enjoyed looking at people’s gardens along the way and then at the beautiful big trees by the lake and all the different water birds. People were really enjoying the late afternoon atmosphere, walking their dogs and kids playing. That is the meaning of life right there - those peaceful, beautiful moments.

Tomorrow I’ll definitely do a walk down by the river where there will be lots of families about - bike riding, kayaking, fishing etc. The caravan park will be full. People bring their camping chairs down to the water’s edge and just soak it up. I imagine there will be similar scenes around you rx.

Wishing you a nice day too,