How do you get through Xmas/New Year alone?

[Succulent Queen]

Hi All,

I will be spending Xmas and New Year alone with my dog as I dont have any family. I have a couple of good acquaintances but no real friends. At 44 I've accepted and made peace with how things are however deep loneliness does creep in at times, particularly at this time. I was wondering if maybe we could use this thread to share ideas on how we each handle aloneness at this time of year. In the past I have used distraction to stay productive and power through the emotions of the day. The distractions I use are simple and could simply involve binge watching a series or taking some music out into the backyard and getting stuck into gardening. I also try not to buy into the concepts of Xmas that surround us and instead view it as just another ordinary day.
Would be great to swap ideas and hear how you handle the day if you're spending Xmas alone.
Hope fully we can help each other via doing this.
🙂

[Hanna3]

Hi randomx,

That's how I feel here - all the neighbours with heaps of family and visitors and cars and happy chatter everywhere and it's just me and the dog in between them all! I did the same as you last year - kept inside, watched DVDs, walked the dog (at least walking the dog on Xmas Day is still OK, other people are doing it too) and figured at least by evening it's all over for another year thank heavens!

[PhoebeWings]

I hate, hate Xmas time.

It is a mad, commercialised drawing up of often transitory feelings of ‘good will’ to others.

All that glitters is not gold.

True care and love happens in so many unmarked hours and days throughout our lives.

I quietly choose not to join in or even pretend to ‘partake’ in this glittery madness.

Friends, if Xmas magnifies things you feel sad about, makes you feel more lonely or depressed - read it for what it is - the commercial intent and spirit of ‘Xmas’ is false and an illusion.

I look on it as a season that magnifies the the superficial and self seeking, this isn’t mere humbug on my part.

It’s no coincidence that there is a large part of the population who suffer at this ho-ho-ho time of year.

How to get through Xmas? Privately, just don’t give it any respect or acknowledgement.
It’s a farce.

[Guest_1584]

That it is phoabe,that it is .Probably more in Australia than most with out spanking new cars and 700k mortgages and pm's in denial and blubbering on about jobs and money.

My family don't even give presents it was never about that cept when we were kids later it was just about catching up bc we're scattered and hopefully some nice food.Later my ex was really into it though and we gd our daughter so you'd make it fun for her and with ex loving it l thought ok , why not and enjoy it. our home christmases were simple and really nice. the other ones with a 2hr treck down to her parents and sitting round getting snubbed 6 or 7 hrs wasn't much fun though , or the 4hr to mine other yrs either.

lucky me , l'm on a corner and my other streets started early this yr, Blame covid l'd say l'm up on the cost and all the Melbourners have taken off early by the looks this yr. Streets already packed with cars.

lt doesn't bother me really unless my daughters coming then l try to make it nice otherwise l'm quite happy just waking up the next day when my streets back to normal. Could be a few wks though this yr by the look.

rx

[LouGo]

Hi, Christmas will be my husband and 3 kids. Christmas is a major trigger for me as I’m estranged from my mother and my dad has passed away. I’ve been doing ok but since thurs I’ve been very overwhelmed. And increase in anxiety