Without fail, I find myself alone for at least one holiday a year, and while I would prefer that this was not a norm, I feel like I’m sort of a pro at it by now 😉 Some may argue that it’s just one day, but to me, the holiday season is more than that and can be quite lonely at times if you are alone! That being said, I have developed a few ways to make sure that I still feel the holiday spirit even when celebrating solo!
PINPOINT WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS
Halloween, for example, is not my favorite holiday – BUT I love fall! So when I am alone around that holiday, I realized that I love searching for fresh apple cider and visiting pumpkin patches. Obviously these are activities that I would love to do with my spouse but since they make me happy on their own, I make a point to go every year! Over the years, it’s been fun to see which friends have joined me each fall and reflect on each unique season of life I was in at the time.
TO DECORATE OR NOT?
There is no black and white answer for this question! This one is tough because you have to decide two things, 1. Do you find joy in decorating? And 2. Would the lack of decorations hinder your holiday experience? If your answer is “no” to both, well definitely do not decorate! It can be a hard decision if you don’t plan to spend the holiday at home but if you find joy in decorating for the seasons or if you are struggling with being in the holiday spirit, whip out those nutcracker collections and Christmas trees and go as wild as your heart desires! This year, I hardly even thought about Christmas décor because I do not plan on celebrating at my house. But I have been getting so giddy looking at other peoples décor so I finally thought “why am I keeping this joy from myself?” This is something that I love doing and appreciate every year so this week I finally put them up and I couldn’t be happier that I did☺
DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE FORWARD ABOUT PLANS
The holidays are not the time to wait for someone to invite you over for a holiday dinner. I am guilty of assuming that my friends are busy with family over the holidays so naturally I wouldn’t even think to ask if they have made plans to celebrate. Trust me, inviting yourself in over for a friends holiday with their family is SO much better than sitting on the couch feeling sad and alone! Be proactive (and tactful) and ask your friends what their plans are and, if they will be around, ask if you can partake in any of their planned activities! I would rather have a friend ask to be included in my family dinners then know that they are alone at home over a holiday.
I wouldn’t ever wish being alone for the holidays on anyone but it is so SO common in our community – I hope that these tips help you power through! This can be a great time to bond with your Air Force framily or just spend all the time visiting your own!
