Survive Christmas Alone

Christmas, the most social time of the year, is often associated with spending money on the people in your life that are close to you and traveling hundreds of miles just to enjoy a meal with your family. However, if you are stuck at home with no one to celebrate it, it can feel lonely and strange. Never fear though, Christmas can be fun without lots of people around you, especially when you remind yourself that you're worth the effort.

Leading up to Christmas

 * 1) Accept that your experience of spending Christmas alone may not be what you expect it to be like. You might find it easier or more enjoyable than you expected or you might find it harder than you expected. You just have to go with the flow and accept the fact that you're probably going to have at least a few different emotions through this time. If you set too many expectations, you can make yourself feel more miserable, or miss the chance of enjoying it.[[Image:Survive Christmas Alone Step 1.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Decide how much effort you're going to put into Christmas. Some people enjoy putting up decorations, making Christmas food and doing everything to make it special, whereas others prefer a minimalist approach, and don't put up anything, especially if they're alone. Anywhere along the scale is fine, it's just about what you want.[[Image:Survive Christmas Alone Step 2.jpg|center]]
 * 3) Let some people know you're spending Christmas alone. You don't have to shout it from the rooftops, but letting a few family, friends, neighbours, etc., know is fine. If you don't want sympathy and don't want to be forced to go to things you don't want to (like dinner, parties etc.), then you can always politely decline, but small gestures, like a Facebook message or a neighbour bringing around mince pies might make you feel a whole lot better.[[Image:Survive Christmas Alone Step 3.jpg|center]]

Christmas

 * 1) Pamper yourself a bit. Just because you're alone, that doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy yourself! Have a bubbly bath, binge on movies, bake, or do whatever you really enjoy; have a bit of "you time".[[Image:Survive Christmas Alone Step 4.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Learn to deal with surprise emotions. Maybe you'll wonder why all the shops are shut then remember it's Christmas, or maybe you'll see people who are enjoying Christmas with others and you'll get lonely, or countless other things. These are all normal feelings and you just have to ride with them and remember that you are not the only one alone this Christmas.[[Image:Survive Christmas Alone Step 5.jpg|center]]
 * 3) Don't dwell on the fact too long. There's nothing wrong with having the odd thought about a previous Christmas, or wondering what your loved ones are doing, or admiring your neighbour's decorations––these can even cheer you up sometimes––but try not to dwell too much, as too much of this can make you feel sad, or more sad. It's not easy, but if you're struggling, you can try to keep yourself occupied.[[Image:Survive Christmas Alone Step 6.jpg|center]]

After Christmas

 * 1) Congratulate yourself on making it through! You've got through the tough bit and should be really proud of yourself. You may even have learned some things or had some new experiences along the way.[[Image:Survive Christmas Alone Step 7.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Try to carry on with life and look forward to next year, if you had a bad day this year. The time after Christmas is a great one to meet up with people, if possible. Most people will no longer have plans with family and many people might be eager to catch up. Also, if you're feeling low, you can always treat yourself to something in the season's sales!

__parts__