Hi Holt372
Welcome to the forum and I hear you so loud and clear, we lived in Thailand for 6 years and being a typically Buddhist county they dont really celebrate Christmas. While we were able to come home most years, some years we did not and I found it so hard and difficult to manage, as you say, you have your family with you and you try to do things but you are so busy trying not to think about it that in fact all you do is think about it. So perhaps seeing that this is really not helping much and you being busy and trying to keep busy with trying to forget, perhaps next year you could try and ..well..not forget...that is what I did one year..I set the house up and did all the things that I would be doing at home with my family and actually was able to harness the power of internet and Skype them during meals when they would all be together. I let myself cry and I let myself miss them, knowing that I am allowed to do that, to miss my family and you are too. Sometimes trying to "get on with it" and put it to the side actually makes it worse, well that is what I found. Sure it was hard as I still wan't there, nothing was going to change that but my adjusting my thoughts and letting myself miss them and talking to my immediate family that I was sad and I was missing home, they then supported me and were not worried or judged me if I was sad or crying.
I am not sure if this helps at all but I know how hard it is and it really does suck. Huge hugs to you and please be kind to you, if you need a big cry then you afford yourself the time to do that and let it out. You are allowed to miss your family.
Hugs
AS
