How to celebrate Christmas away from home

How to celebrate Christmas away from home

Christmas away from home is always tough – if you’ve never experienced one then take it from us expats at Europe Language Jobs, it's normal to experience all sorts of emotions when spending  Christmas away from home. For many people, this is a reality, especially if you work or study in a foreign country.  Unfortunately, this isn't always a decision of our own, sometimes there can be great difficulties when it comes to getting home for Christmas; whether it's the price of flights, company policies, or your workload. Whatever the reason, spending Christmas away from home, doesn't have to be as difficult as it sounds. 

 

We have some top tips to help you stay positive during your Christmas away from home! 

 

It's time to make new friends

Although you won't be spending Christmas with the people you normally do, this is a frosted window of opportunity to bond with people you wouldn’t normally spend Christmas with. It's the perfect time to learn about new cultures, take an impromptu trip away or give a little Christmas spirit to those who need it the most. 

Christmas away from home could be some of the best quality alone time you could have and in the modern world. We enjoy the luxury of technology which allows us to send gifts and cards cheaply and even (virtually) be with our loved ones on Christmas day – via Skype or Facetime of course.

 

We’ve compiled a list of cosy alternatives to the traditional family Christmas to help those of you who have to spend the Yuletide alone.

 

Send cards and gifts

 

Sending Christmas cards (and/or presents) is a task very easily forgotten – but it's one of the most thoughtful things you can do for your friends and family. Although you may not be spending Christmas with your nearest and dearest, it's always nice to send a card or a gift to show your loved ones that you are still thinking of them. 

Luckily certain websites have been set up especially for us people who leave things until the last minute and are too lazy to go out, buy presents and cards, wrap and write them - we now have the power of the internet to do it all for us. 

Anyway, on websites like HelloPrintyou can design your own cards, adding personalised text and photos and have it delivered. You can also choose from some generic but tasteful gifts, just to make sure that you don’t get in more trouble for missing Christmas AND not sending presents. 

 

Christmas away from home: list of alternatives

 

  • Guilt-free TV binge:

If there is one day that it is acceptable to spend the entire day in front of the TV then this is it...especially if you’re alone. Christmas TV is the best! Loads of films, Christmas specials of your favourite series – perfect! I’m almost tempted to spend Christmas alone on this year...why not embrace being home alone and watch Home Alone like everyone else will be doing? 

 

  • Skype through it:

Skype and FaceTime have eased homesickness and reduced the gap between far-away family members and loved ones for... well not that long, but long enough that few Christmases go without at least one FaceTime nowadays. If you really can’t do anything else on Christmas Day when you know that your family members are at home having a good time then you can spend the whole day right there with them.

 

  • Book a Getaway:

If you truly believe that spending Christmas away from home is simply too much then why not give yourself the ultimate distraction? Take a trip! If you want snow-head north, if you hate the cold weather then head south! Top tip: stay in a hostel! That way you’ll easily meet travellers and people in a similar situation. 

 

  •  Volunteer 

Christmas is the season of goodwill and you may be spending Christmas away from home but some people don’t have a home at all. Without a small number of good people who offer their time over Christmas some of the societies less fortunate certainly would spend Christmas alone. You can volunteer at homeless shelters, soup kitchens, orphanages etc. and collect a healthy dose of goodwill and good karma.  

 

  • Crash a friend’s Christmas:

No true friend would want to leave you out in the cold to spend Christmas alone, so why not ask them if you can tag along. If you don’t feel comfortable asking, then simply drop hints about how lonely you’re going to be on Christmas day until they invite you!

 

  • Spend Christmas Day hungover:

Think about it – if you go wild on Christmas Eve then on Christmas Day you will be so distracted by your hangover that, between sleeping and comfort eating, you won’t have time to be lonely. You can watch Christmas films and eat your favourite Christmas snacks from the comfort of your own bed. To some people, this may be more appealing that spending Christmas at home.

 

Hopefully, we’ve provided you with some comforting alternatives to the traditional Christmas holidays and you can either embrace your loneliness or distract yourself from it, it's up to you! 'Tis the season to be jolly so make sure you stay festive with Europe Language Cafe´s Christmas content. 

 

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