Spending Christmas Alone After Divorce

42 Ideas for Spending Christmas Alone After Divorce

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Are you gearing up to be spending Christmas alone after divorce this year?

At first, the thought may seem utterly depressing. I get it. Hollywood has us all primed with the expectation of Christmas day being filled with overflowing amounts of gifts, food, decorations, cheesy Christmas carols and of course, a house full of kids and activity.

The key term there being โ€˜expectation.โ€™

Well, Iโ€™m here to tell you that your solo Christmas day can be one of your most FAVOURITE days of the year! It all comes down to shedding the expectations and changing your perception. How are you choosing Christmas to look for you (not anybody else)?

The most ironic part of it all is that youโ€™re actually not alone.

There are literally thousands of reasons why so many people find themselves spending Christmas alone, not just through divorce. Between moving away for work or study or having no close family around, to not having the money to visit loved ones or even the family dynamics just making it all too difficult. The situations are endless.

If we were truly honest with ourselves, most of us would admit that Christmas is extremely stressful, expensive and is often a day of the year many people grow to dread.

Your first Christmas alone after divorce can bring with it grief and sadness for what was, or for how you wish things could be.

Go easy on yourself and honour your needs this Christmas.

If you need to spend the day crying with a box of tissues and some comfort food, then do that. If you prefer to tag along to someone elseโ€™s Christmas day, even just for an hour, then follow your heart and do it.

The beauty of spending Christmas alone is that you donโ€™t have to feel obliged to show up for anyone but yourself.

Reasons to get excited about a solo Christmas:

  • Donโ€™t have to spend two days cooking
  • Donโ€™t have to go broke buying gifts
  • No expectations
  • No travelling between five different families
  • No pleasing anybody else
  • Spend the day exactly how YOU want!

So, how can you make spending Christmas alone after divorce the best damn day of the year?!

Grab a pen and paper and make your solo Christmas bucket list to create your perfect day. Here are over 40 ideas to get you going.

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Ideas for Spending Christmas Alone

Lazy morning in bed

Reading a book in bed

Kick off your blissful day of spending Christmas alone after divorce by sleeping in as late as you damn well please. No need to feel envious of all the sleep-deprived parents whoโ€™ve been up with kids since 4am!

The mere act of having no alarms or schedules to get up to is pure bliss. Snuggle up with a book or start the day with a podcast or meditation and totally enjoy an unconventional Christmas morning.


Curl up with a great book

Start with a morning ritual, then curl up for an entire, uninterrupted day with an awesome book. Thatโ€™s a pretty damn epic way to stop and breathe for a minute in this crazy busy world.

You can move from the bed, to the garden, to a steaming hot bath, to the armchair in front of the fire. Or, if you have hot Christmases like we do here in Australia, close up the blinds and put the aircon on, or head out to a beautiful shady spot under the trees.


Decorate the house

Decorating for Christmas

If Christmas decorations remind you of a happy childhood and will bring you lots of Christmas cheer, then decorate the hell out of your house. Who cares if you will be the only one to enjoy them โ€“ this Christmas itโ€™s all about you!


Netflix binge

Get into your comfiest pyjamas or daggy clothes and hit the couch for the day with some movies or a good series. I do recommend actually cleaning your teeth, brushing your hair and putting on fresh pjs in the morning though, youโ€™ll feel much fresher for it.


Get out into nature

Nature Walk, Babinda Boulders QLD
Babinda Boulders, QLD Australia

Where is your favourite kind of natural location โ€“ beach, forest, mountains, bush?

Head there and take some time to just enjoy the moment to yourself. Pack some lunch and a book and make the most of the day. If there are cafes and restaurants around, treat yourself to a nice meal and a drink/ coffee.

There are plenty of ways to spend Christmas outdoors when you look around to see whatโ€™s available in your area.


Ditch social media

Make Christmas day a social media-free day. Remember, people only put their best stuff online, so scrolling through Instagram or Facebook on Christmas is just going to make you feel FOMO.

What people donโ€™t show is the ridiculous amounts of stress, cooking, driving, over-tired kids and dysfunctional families that also make up their day.

All of which, my friend, you are completely free from today โ€“ you go!


Declutter

If decluttering is something that you get excited about, then give the house a huge purge. Recycle and donate as much as you can. See if thereโ€™s anything that you can sell and make some cash to go towards something for yourself.

For more inspiration, here are some tips on wardrobe decluttering and culling unloved shoes.


Spring clean

Cleaning the house from top to bottom is extremely therapeutic and will keep you busy for hours. Turn up the music, pour yourself a drink and get busy. The best thing is that you will be clearing out all of that old, stagnant energy, freshening up the place for the new you!


DIY Spa Day

Pamper Spa Day

Enjoy spending Christmas alone after divorce by giving yourself a DIY spa day.

Do a facial, wax, shave, paint your nails, then finish off with a long, hot bath. Make sure youโ€™ve got a stash of bath bombs and bath salts before the day. Light some candles, put on some relaxing music or a podcast and totally unwind.

To make it extra special, order yourself a pre-made pamper pack like these ones on eBay.

READ: Eco-friendly Hair Removal โ†’

Watch Christmas movies

If you genuinely love Christmas movies and donโ€™t think theyโ€™ll just make you sad, then line them up and have a Christmas movie marathon.


Host an Orphanโ€™s Christmas

If you still want to have a social Christmas post-divorce, ask around to see if any of your friends, family or neighbours are also without something to do.

You can all come together for a meal and/ or some drinks on Christmas day and enjoy each others company.

Keep it simple by getting everyone to BYO drinks and a share plate. The low-fuss planning will keeps thing casual and spontaneous. Who knows what the day will bring?!


Listen to all of your favourite songs

Ditch the crappy Christmas carols and create a playlist of all of your most favourite songs, then turn it up! This is now your soundtrack for Christmas day.


Completely ignore Christmas

Maybe youโ€™re just plain old sick of Christmas and all the BS that comes with it. I give you full permission to completely erase the 25th December from your calendar and to treat it just like any other day if thatโ€™s your wish.


Create a budget

Laptop

If you enjoy organising your finances, spend some time fine-tuning your budget for the coming year.

This will help you to really maximise your money, keep on track with bills and expenses, plus work towards the things that you want to achieve. A good tip is to have a handful of different accounts (I have eleven!) so that you can categorise your money and create โ€˜buckets.โ€™

These Barefoot Investor steps will kick-start your solo Date Night and money bucket journey!


Buy yourself a gift

Gift

Make sure to get yourself something special for Christmas. You can either buy it before the day and have it ready to open. Or, you can have fun browsing online on the day, giving you a parcel to look forward to in the coming weeks.

READ: Clutter-free Gift Ideas โ†’

Work

If you actually really love your job and have the option of working on Christmas day, you could spend the uninterrupted time being super productive.

If you work in an actual workplace and have the option to go in and enjoy the holiday feels, that might be something that appeals to you. You may even get paid some overtime in the process, depending on your set up.


Candles & fairy lights

Fairy Lights

Set the mood for your indulgent day of spending Christmas alone after divorce with candles, incense and fairy lights. Youโ€™ve got instant magic, right there!

You can find a wide variety of fairy lights on eBay, including USB battery powered, solar powered and LED.


Find an inspirational podcast

Think about a topic that you want to be totally inspired by (finances, personal development, solo parenting, freedom, spirituality, health and fitness etc.).

Spending Christmas alone after divorce can be the perfect time to reflect, build yourself up, learn and get motivated for the year ahead.


Cook your favourite dish

Just because youโ€™re not cooking for a football team, doesnโ€™t mean you canโ€™t put just as much effort into your own Christmas lunch or dinnerโ€ฆ if you enjoy cooking that is.

While youโ€™re at it, why not pour yourself a nice cocktail to complement your meal. Here are over 50 Christmas cocktail ideas to choose from.

However, if you hate cooking, skip to the next idea!

READ: Zero Waste Baking โ†’

Order take out

If you donโ€™t love cooking or just donโ€™t feel like it, then donโ€™t cook. Order your favourite take out instead.


Phone/ video chats

Even though you may not be able to be there in person with your loved ones, you can still catch up with a phone call or video call.

NOTE: if you think phone calls on Christmas day will just make you feel sad, you can respectfully tell people that youโ€™ll connect with them another day. Remember, this day is all about what makes YOU happy.


Get your gear off

Since youโ€™ve got the place to yourself, enjoy the freedom of being a complete nudist for the whole day without a care in the world!

P.S. Itโ€™s probably best to make any video calls before going nude!


Burn & release ceremony

Burn and Release

While youโ€™re spending Christmas alone, perform a burn and release ceremony. This is a great way to release any past hurts, negativities, anger and resentment that you may be still holding onto.

How to do a Burn & Release ceremony:

  1. Create a space to burn a piece of paper (fireplace, concrete driveway, glass/ metal bowl, fire pit).
  2. Set a clear intention on what you want to achieve and get yourself into a peaceful state of being.
  3. Write down on a piece of paper whatever it is you want to let go of. It could be a list of words, a letter to someone or an expression of how youโ€™re feeling.
  4. Light the piece of paper on fire with a candle or lighter and watch the paper burn and disintegrate. Take a deep breath and exhale, releasing all unto the universe.

Tag along to someone elseโ€™s Christmas

I remember my first solo Christmas after divorce where the kids spent the day at their Dadโ€™s. As it turns out, my good friend was also separated from her ex and didnโ€™t have her kids on Christmas day either.

So, we tagged along to her friendโ€™s Christmas day BBQ and ended up having a great time. With only ourselves to worry about, we had a stress-free Christmas with plenty of food and drinks, then simply called a cab home at the end of the night.

Maybe you have a friend or family member whoโ€™d be more than happy for you to tag along to their shindig for the day.


Solo road trip

Find somewhere on the map that youโ€™ve never visited and take a solo road trip. If youโ€™ve got a dog, take your fur baby with you for a day of adventure. Explore somewhere completely new and see where the day takes you.


Start a journal

Dedicate a nice notebook to your daily or weekly thoughts and feelings. No one will ever see whatโ€™s in your journal, so let loose and express everything that you need and want to say (the good, the bad and the ugly!). Journaling is a very healing ritual to have in your life.

Leather Journal
Leather Journal (eBay) โ†’

Learn a new skill

You know that crafty or DIY activity youโ€™ve been wanting to try forever? Why not spend the day giving it a crack? Order yourself a starter kit or put on a YouTube tutorial and off you go.


Finish a project

If youโ€™re guilty of having one or many projects on the go that you desperately want to finish, but never have time to, then make Christmas day that day. Youโ€™ll be kept busy and feel a great sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. What more could one ask for?


Take yourself to a movie

Movies

There is a special kinda energy to Christmas day when youโ€™re out and about. Soak up some of that good energy and go see a movie.

Pre-book yourself in for a Gold Class screening with recliner seats, snacks, drinksโ€ฆ go all out! You could even catch an Uber so you donโ€™t have to drive yourself home.


Play a game

Not a board game, but a digital one. There are loads of games to relax with by yourself. If youโ€™re into gaming, jump on the Xbox, Playstation or PC and fill your day with action and adventure.

If youโ€™re not a gamer, there are millions of free games online worth checking out.

Online game ideas:

  • Word games
  • Puzzle & card games
  • Hidden object games
  • Adventure, shooting, sports & racing games

Do a puzzle

When was the last time you sat down at the dining table with a puzzle? If youโ€™re anything like me, probably not since you were a kid.

Get yourself a really cool puzzle before Christmas day, so that youโ€™re all ready to go. Toy stores actually have a whole section dedicated to puzzles, not to mention eBay and other online stores.


Exercise

If going to the gym or working out is your happy place, then go for gold. You could go for a run or walk through a nice park that has free public exercise equipment along the way.

Youโ€™ll feel super pumped and motivated for working on your body on Christmas day, instead of binge eating and drinking with the rest of the planet.


Museum, Gallery

See if there is a museum, gallery, exhibition or show open on Christmas day in your town or city that would appeal to you.

Think outside of the box and get googling to find someplace new that youโ€™ve never visited before. Allow yourself to be transported from spending Christmas alone into a totally different era or space.

You can wander at your leisure and enjoy being in the world, but not a part of the world for just one day.


Volunteer

There are plenty of community services that will be at their busiest during the Christmas period.

Although you might be spending Christmas alone after divorce, you may want to donate your time to helping a brother or sister out. Or, Iโ€™m sure the old folks at the nursing home would love to have someone to talk to if theyโ€™re also spending Christmas alone.

Think food banks, food kitchens, womenโ€™s shelters, nursing homes, animal shelters and other community groups and organisations.


Meditate

Whether youโ€™re a meditation newbie or a pro, anyone can benefit from a relaxing meditation. Find a guided meditation on YouTube, get yourself comfortable either inside or out in nature and quiet the mind for a while (without the threat of interruptions).


Book a night away

Witches Falls, Mount Tamborine QLD
Witches Falls, Tamborine Mountain QLD Australia

Treat yourself to a solo night away. You could go for somewhere local or opt for a total tree change. Consider a Bed and Breakfast in the country or a cabin in the mountains. Or you could book an apartment in the city or an Airbnb along the coast.

Whatever your ideal pamper night would be โ€“ do that for yourself. You donโ€™t even need to talk to anyone besides the staff at the bookings desk if you want to remain solo and anonymous.


Adopt a pet

To be clear, I DO NOT endorse getting a pet to fill a void, then ditching it after the holiday season.

However, if you are an animal lover and have been contemplating getting a pet anyways, Christmas is the perfect time to head to the animal shelter. In fact, within the month or so after Christmas is when the shelters are at their busiest with โ€˜gift petsโ€™ that people have decided they donโ€™t want.

Rescuing an animal is just about the kindest thing you can do this holiday season.


Potter in the garden

Gardening

If you like gardening, enjoy a slow day outside.

If youโ€™re new to gardening, head to the nursery before Christmas day and get yourself a few nice plants, pots and potting mix. Learn how to repot plants and spruce up the house at the same time.

You could try a starter kit, or have a go at planting some seedlings. This is a skill that will reach far beyond just one day.


Go for a walk

To avoid cabin fever and ensure that you still feel a part of the world, get outside and go for a stroll. Be mindful that if hearing, smelling and seeing other people doing Christmas is likely to trigger heavy emotions, then maybe skip this idea and opt for staying at home in your happy cave.


Gratitude

Write a list of every, single thing in your life that youโ€™re truly grateful for. From your comfy bed to your job, your home, your kids and pets, special people, experiences etc. Really feel that gratitude fill your body and soul.


Create a bucket list

Bucket List

Kick your feet up and put together a list of things that youโ€™d like to achieve throughout the coming year. Include all of the things, both big and small.

You could even take it to the next level โ€“ type it up in Word, then print it out with little check boxes to tick off as you accomplish each item throughout the year.


Congratulate yourself

And last, but most importantly, donโ€™t forget to congratulate yourself for being the amazing being that you are, plus for nailing your solo Christmas and loving the shit out of it!

Just remember that spending Christmas alone after divorce can be sad and bring up all sorts of emotions for youโ€ฆ and thatโ€™s okay. Donโ€™t feel like you need to push those emotions away, sit with them and feel the feels.

If you need to spend the day emotionally purging, then maybe thatโ€™s exactly how the day needs to look for you. Youโ€™ll hopefully feel better on the other side of it all.

Remember, 25th December is quite literally just a date on the calendar. There is nothing that we need to be doing on that day. Give yourself permission to spend it however you wish!

READ: 100 Self-care Ideas โ†’
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โ–ถ๏ธ VIDEO: 42 Ways to Spend Christmas Alone

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