Have Yourself A Very Merry Christmas

'This year has been a strange one' - how many times have we heard that? COVID-19 has impacted our lives in many ways, and Christmas particularly.

We look forward to Christmas every year as a time that will make us feel better compared to the rest of the year. With Christmas joy, festive spirit and fun with family, Christmas is a time of year that focuses on togetherness, and holidays filled with cheer. This year however, might be a bit tricky for some.

Being alone for Christmas, whether due to the current situation or not, isn't easy but there are things we can do to make it easier.

I know we might all be tired of Zoom calls by now, but for this one day it could be worth using. Planning that call and looking forward to it can make the day easier. Maybe open gifts with a friend on facetime, then a family member during your favourite show. You can fill your day with planned calls and by the end of it you’ve managed to speak to everyone and still have that one-on-one time with yourself to wind down for the night.

A group of your friends and/or family could do a Secret Santa, that tradition doesn’t have to end just because you can’t be with them. You could use an online site to pick out the names for each person, then post out the gift to your gift receiver. Pick a time to call one another and then open the gifts all together. This could be something to look forward to throughout the day, but also keep you busy looking for things through the run up to Christmas.

I always find a walk on Christmas day to be really helpful, 1) to help digest the huge feast and prepare for dessert, 2) to reflect on the day and fill the time before your favourite film or show starts on TV. A walk this year could also go by a friend or family member’s house where you could stop for a chat outside before heading home to watch the Strictly special or A Christmas Carol.

You could take the day to completely focus on yourself. Bake all the Christmas goodies you enjoy, stick on all your favourite Christmas songs and dance around the living room. You may enjoy a ‘you’ Christmas and not have the hecticness of a massive get-to-together, especially after the stress of the whole year.

Pick the parts of Christmas that means the most to you and concentrate on those. A lot of these suggestions could end up being something you really enjoy and carry on throughout more Christmasses.

It’s a different Christmas but it doesn’t have to be a bad Christmas, there are still the foods you love and programmes you enjoy, and the people you love can still be a part of the day - you just have to think outside the Christmas-shaped box.