# Alone for Christmas



## Mggs (Dec 17, 2022)

How many of you will be alone for Xmas,and what do you plan on doing?


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## hearlady (Dec 17, 2022)

I'm not sure yet. My daughter will be here unless she gets a better deal.


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## Gaer (Dec 17, 2022)

Sure, always alone.
Don't make plans much.
Might paint or sculpt.
Listen to music or watch a good movie.
Might write.
Might even sing "Silent Night".
Take a bubble bath.
Paint my toenails.
meditate.  
I'm happy alone.


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## BC Flash (Dec 17, 2022)

I will be alone as I find being with my daughter & family stressful at this time of year. (1 hour drive to her home)   Another neighbour has the same attitude and we will do something "low key" (afternoon tea with fancy petit fours?)


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## Ruthanne (Dec 17, 2022)

I'm not sure if I will be alone and also don't know what I am doing yet.


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## Disgustedman (Dec 17, 2022)

I'll be alone, surfing the web. Our monthly breakfast meeting (Sis and I, sometimes her husband joins) will be NYD, as we agree. The drunks will be sleeping it off.


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## NorthernLight (Dec 17, 2022)

I will be alone, ignoring Christmas as best I can. 

I host an online game on Sundays, and will be doing that as usual. 

I hope not too many people in the game will put me on the spot by wishing me a merry Christmas. I guess the best thing to do is say "Thank you."


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## Disgustedman (Dec 17, 2022)

NorthernLight said:


> I will be alone, ignoring Christmas as best I can.
> 
> I host an online game on Sundays, and will be doing that as usual.
> 
> I hope not too many people in the game will put me on the spot by wishing me a merry Christmas. I guess the best thing to do is say "Thank you."


I too will be hit by those greeting. Instead of causing strife, I shall say "Thank you" after all, it's 5-6 people giving of themselves (We're having a dinner the 20th) and they're doing some good.

Plus, like I said, "Why cause issues?"


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## katlupe (Dec 17, 2022)

I will be alone. My BF will want to come here but I always tell him to spend it with his family. They celebrate all holidays and they really want him with them. I am fine alone. I like it better. My son is down the street and might come by but not for any celebrating. He is only here a few minutes usually.


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## JustDave (Dec 17, 2022)

I have no plans. Sometimes something comes up and I'm invited out.  I rather enjoy spending the day working on some project or another.  I feel no pressure to celebrate.  My life is quiet.


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## Chet (Dec 17, 2022)

I'll be alone and am treating Christmas as just another day, which it really is anyway.


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## Right Now (Dec 17, 2022)

I'm going to family on Christmas Eve to share a dinner and get together, but will be home on Christmas Day by myself.
I bet I will see some of you here, posting.   I hope so.


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## Purwell (Dec 17, 2022)

I've never been keen on Christmas, quite happy on my own.

This year I will be halfway through a cycle of chemo anyway and I never like to be more than 5 yards from a toilet!


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## RadishRose (Dec 17, 2022)

Purwell said:


> I've never been keen on Christmas, quite happy on my own.
> 
> This year I will be halfway through a cycle of chemo anyway and I never like to be more than 5 yards from a toilet!


You're half way there, @Purwell !


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## Kika (Dec 17, 2022)

This year I have a friend's son visiting me for one month.  I have invited someone who I know will also be alone.  It will not be "Christmas" as everyone knows it, but we will have dinner both Christmas Eve and Day.  Maybe play some board games or watch movies. It will be nice.


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## Manatee (Dec 17, 2022)

Christmas was always for the kids.  They are 59 and 61 now and live in the farthest corner of the country.

I will go visit my wife in the nursing home.


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## RadishRose (Dec 17, 2022)

Mggs said:


> How many of you will be alone for Xmas,and what do you plan on doing?


I will have a few here on Christmas Eve, but Christmas Day I'm usually alone. It's fine.


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## JustDave (Dec 17, 2022)

Purwell said:


> I've never been keen on Christmas, quite happy on my own.
> 
> This year I will be halfway through a cycle of chemo anyway and I never like to be more than 5 yards from a toilet!


That half way point can be pretty miserable, at least it was watching my cousin going through it.  Not the best way to spend Christmas, but I wish you the best Holiday Season considering the circumstances.  And I hope you will be with us for a long time to come.


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## Mizmo (Dec 18, 2022)

Purwell said:


> I've never been keen on Christmas, quite happy on my own.
> 
> This year I will be halfway through a cycle of chemo anyway and I never like to be more than 5 yards from a toilet!


I went through the same thing four years ago so can sympathize  but hold on , it does get better.

​


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## Remy (Dec 18, 2022)

I'm not working Christmas. I have  worked a lot of them. I'll stay home with the cats. Anything is better than when I was a kid being around my mother. She made sure that was an extra miserable day especially since the holidays were big deals for my stepfather's side of the family.


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## Paladin1950 (Dec 18, 2022)

I'll be working at the nursing home on Christmas Day. I actually enjoy working there on Christmas morning. Some residents have no family left, or no one that will visit them. So we staff are their families. So we spend Christmas with them.


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## Teacher Terry (Dec 18, 2022)

My second ex husband is flying in with his wife to spend Xmas with our oldest son, Dil and I. They will be here a week staying in a hotel and I will be having everyone over 3xs for dinner including Xmas eve.


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## Lavinia (Dec 18, 2022)

I'll be alone but will still celebrate the day. I already have the makings of my Christmas dinner, and a box of chocolates and Baileys. I have two Christmas trees, one in each sitting-room. No-one will see them but I enjoy looking at them and the decorations I made myself.
The local community centre will be open and anyone can pop in if they feel lonely. I might donate some mince pies but I won't be staying.


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## Warrigal (Dec 19, 2022)

Christmas Day I will not be alone. I will go early to the Aged Care Village and see that he is dressed well to go to church at 8.30 am. Later in the day we will drive to his brother's hone when we will have a traditional Christmas lunch with his extended family and I will see my little great grandson and grandniece again in the flesh. Then Hubby and I will return to the nursing home in time for him to have the evening meal at 5.00pm. I will be at home alone after that but will have plenty to do because our extended family comes together on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) for a very casual and informal get together for lunch. The meal is mostly provided by me with contributions from everyone else. It sometimes resembles a pot luck lunch but there is always plenty for everyone. So much so that I have invited a rather broken-hearted man from our church to join us if he so desires.

I will be going early to the nursing home again to supervise the choice of clothing for Hubby, while back at the ranch the family will all pitch in to get the food ready. I have bought lots of packaged food that only needs to be heated in the oven or microwave. Mostly an exercise in heating and plating. We eat buffet style outdoors because it is Summer down here.

We will enjoy all being together and play a favourite Christmas game called Stealing Santa. Some of the grandkids will bring musical instruments and/or board games. It often happens that they are still at our home for another meal as the sun goes down. If necessary we send out for pizza but there is usually ample food the second meal of the day and plenty of leftovers to take home. Hubby may be returned to the home early if it is all too much for him to cope with. I hope he won't feel sad this Christmas.

Hubby and I spent Christmas Day by ourselves last year because of Covid.
Even our church was closed. It just wasn't the same.


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## perplexed (Dec 25, 2022)

It is just myself and my husband so far today! A friend may stop over late afternoon. We had a lunch invite but so cold we just want to stay in!


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## Been There (Dec 26, 2022)

Went to church at 8:00 am, came home changed clothes and went to the soup kitchen (not its real name) at 10:30 and got home at 7 last evening. I think someone said we served around 425 meals yesterday, which if true will be a new record. I didn't eat until I got home. I was busy cleaning up and missed out on the meals served to the helpers, so I brought mine home and heated it. I missed out on the dessert, but I am not a big sweets person anyway.


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## Warrigal (Dec 26, 2022)

As it turned out Hubby and I were not able to visit his brother's family because Covid is working its way through the nursing home. Even though both of us are clear our sister in law was very worried for her daughter who is 4 months pregnant. Both mother and daughter had Covid earlier this year and both were very sick. They do not want to run any risk at this time so we bowed out and wished them a Happy Christmas.

We made the most of the day as best we could. I went early to the home and shared a simple breakfast with Hubby and then I drove him to our local church for Christmas Day service. Afterwards we went for a drive along the river close to our home to fill in some time until our daughter was due to arrive at our house for lunch. The three of us spent Christmas Day together and we were sufficient for the day.

Today, Jan 26, which is called Boxing Day in Australia and UK, was a full on family get together at our home and Hubby was again taken out of the nursing home to be part of the celebration. For me it was tiring but everyone pitched in and helped make the day a success. We ate, drank and made merry until it was time to take Hubby back to the home once again. He went happily and should sleep soundly tonight.

Why am I relating this in a thread titled Seniors Living Alone? A couple of reasons - in one way I am now living alone but I am not necessarily cut off from family and friends. @Been There has discovered the satisfaction of serving others and has not had any time to feel lonely at Christmas. I really applaud his spirit that is so synchronous with the Season.

Another reason is that this year we asked three people, who would have been alone on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, to come and join us and welcomed them into the family celebration. All accepted and enjoyed the day. I recommend not turning down offers of friendship and hospitality if you are lucky enough to receive them, and if you aren't being invited then work some way that you can invite someone who is also on their own to join you for a meal or for afternoon tea. It is the first step to forming links with people who are in the same situation as yourself. You don't have to wait for Christmas 2023 to make new connections.


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## Conce (Dec 26, 2022)

BC Flash said:


> I will be alone as I find being with my daughter & family stressful at this time of year. (1 hour drive to her home)   Another neighbour has the same attitude and we will do something "low key" (afternoon tea with fancy petit fours?)


I'd rather be alone with my cat. I did the whole deal, months of shopping, days of wrapping, cleaning, cooking, stuffing stockings. They all showed up, went thru the stockings, ate the food, opened the gifts and left. It took about 4 hours. I'd rather skip that s##t.


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## Conce (Dec 26, 2022)

Been There said:


> Went to church at 8:00 am, came home changed clothes and went to the soup kitchen (not its real name) at 10:30 and got home at 7 last evening. I think someone said we served around 425 meals yesterday, which if true will be a new record. I didn't eat until I got home. I was busy cleaning up and missed out on the meals served to the helpers, so I brought mine home and heated it. I missed out on the dessert, but I am not a big sweets person anyway.


That sounds like a wonderful day!


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## Been There (Dec 26, 2022)

Warrigal said:


> As it turned out Hubby and I were not able to visit his brother's family because Covid is working its way through the nursing home. Even though both of us are clear our sister in law was very worried for her daughter who is 4 months pregnant. Both mother and daughter had Covid earlier this year and both were very sick. They do not want to run any risk at this time so we bowed out and wished them a Happy Christmas.
> 
> We made the most of the day as best we could. I went early to the home and shared a simple breakfast with Hubby and then I drove him to our local church for Christmas Day service. Afterwards we went for a drive along the river close to our home to fill in some time until our daughter was due to arrive at our house for lunch. The three of us spent Christmas Day together and we were sufficient for the day.
> 
> ...


Thanks, Warrigal. I had a few people wanting to hand me change or even a dollar bill. I told them there was a jar on the serving counter and if they would like, they could put the money in the jar. 

We all try to make the best of the days when things don’t turn out as planned. Glad you were able to have a nice day.


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## MickaC (Dec 26, 2022)

Been There said:


> Went to church at 8:00 am, came home changed clothes and went to the soup kitchen (not its real name) at 10:30 and got home at 7 last evening. I think someone said we served around 425 meals yesterday, which if true will be a new record. I didn't eat until I got home. I was busy cleaning up and missed out on the meals served to the helpers, so I brought mine home and heated it. I missed out on the dessert, but I am not a big sweets person


What a wonderful way to spend Christmas.
I’m sure all appreciated your kindness and volunteering.
You are a giver.
BIG HUG for you. .


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