This time of year is no doubt stressful for most people and other than the financial pressure, family pressures, there is also for some, the realisation that they will be spending Christmas alone.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with being alone at Christmas. Actually there are so many benefits, Just look below:
· You have no place to be and you can literally do anything your little heart desires.
· There will be no arguments unless you get really cranky with yourself.
· You get to have all the food and drinks to yourself.
· You don’t have to be at 10 places at once.
· You don’t have to spend a fortune on buying a ton a Christmas presents that you aren’t certain the person you are buying for will like.
· There will be that peace and solitude that you’ve been wanting all year.
· It’s the only time of the year you get to do absolutely nothing if you want to.
· There is no worrying about driving through horrible, frantic, frustrating traffic.
· There is just you and everything you are. Once you realise this you can make this the best Christmas Day ever, just for yourself, with absolutely no pressure, or commitments if that is what you want.
I myself have spent Christmas alone and I certainly made sure I wasn’t going to sit around feeling sorry for myself and doing the “Woe is me” scenario. Hopefully some of you may be fortunate enough to be invited by friends or neighbours to share Christmas with them. If not, then here are some options, with the unique Girl E Business twist that you may like to consider on the days and the weeks leading up Christmas:
PREPARATION
1. Make sure you have bought all the comfort food you can handle. All those naughty things you say no to all year, I hereby give you permission to buy these things and to eat them by the bucket load. LOL (Except of course if it is against Doctor’s orders)
2. If you don’t plan on cooking or volunteering, book into a restaurant for Christmas Lunch. Yes a table for one! You never know what can happen. Gone are the days that you would be looked upon as desperate or strange. To your surprise you may find other “Table for ones” there also.
3. Put up decorations. Even if it’s just a few around the house, make sure you can feel a little of the Christmas Spirit. Even better – make your own. Come to think of it the last time I actually did, other than helping the kids, was probably around Grade 3. Do you remember cutting up all those bits of coloured paper and making the ring chains to hang around the house? I remember the glue we used would run and I ended up having more colour on my hands than in the rings themselves.
4. In the weeks leading up to Christmas go to the shops, get on EBAY whatever you have to do and buy something for yourself. Yes just for you! Something special too! Something that you wouldn’t normally let yourself indulge in. You deserve it!! You have to promise me though that you will wrap it and NOT open it until Christmas Day. Who said you can’t be your own Santa.
5. Volunteer – Nominate yourself. This is probably one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself and others at Christmas. There are many organisations in your area that provide meals for the homeless, elderly etc. on Christmas Day. One thought that comes to mind would be to contact the Age homes or Services like Bluecare in your area. You may just benefit from spending an hour or so with a couple of people who, not unlike yourself, are alone at Christmas. This is probably the best Christmas Present ever, for yourself and them also.
YOUR BIG CHRISTMAS DAY
6. Have a Sleep in.! Yes a sleep in. Unbeknown to some women out there, this is actually a possibility and it is still practised in some households. I know it maybe a rare occurrence and a dying art but trust me it does still exist for some people. Even if you wake at your normal time, just stay in bed for that extra ½ hour, just because you can.
7. Open your PRESENT!!!! Laugh and pretend you have absolutely no idea what is in there. LOLOL J
8. Check the “Girl E Business” Blog page or Facebook page for inspiring Christmas Messages. Make your own comments on what you have planned for yourself today.
9. Plan a pamper morning. Make sure you have a nice relaxing bath, bubbles or bath bombs essential here. Play some nice relaxing music, light the candles and put on your favourite perfume. Yes I know, you think no one will smell it except you. But that’s the point!
10. If you are able, get out and about today. Don’t put any pressure on yourself whatsoever though. Even if it’s just a short walk, a trip to the park, the beach, just go out for a while, even if it’s only so someone walking past you can smell that perfume you put on.
11. Cook something! - I am the first to admit I didn’t inherit the cooking gene in my family, nor the ironing one, and I am definitely not an avid recipe book reader, but if that’s what floats your boat, so to speak, then I’m all for it !!! Put some music on and put it on “Loud”. This is the only day of the year the neighbours can’t complain about the noise. With all that noise and the aromas of that wonderful cooking emanating from your home, it will give the impression that something is happening at your place (which it is). You might even get a visitor or two to see what’s going on LOLOL. If you plan a fabulous creation for lunch and or dessert, then you certainly can take pleasure and comfort in the fact that you made it yourself. Also remember to take the time to enjoy every single bit of it.
12. Watch a “New Release”. Personally I prefer not to select a “Christmas DVD” as there is enough to watch on the television and hiring one really defeats the purpose of what you are trying to do today. Choose something that will take you away for a while. A really nice “Chick Flick” or just one of your favourites that will warm your heart today especially.
13. Read a little. Grab a nice cup or coffee or tea and read something. Anything really as long as you are relaxed and comfortable when you do.
14. Now for LUNCH! If you have volunteered you will no doubt be indulging in a beautiful roast meal and Christmas pudding with all the trimmings and sharing some wonderful stories with some very wonderful people. But if you haven’t then you might have thought to book into a local restaurant to treat yourself a meal. Yes all by yourself. “Table for 1 please”. You never know there might just be someone else there who also booked that table for “1”. You might even be lucky enough to be invited by other patrons to join them. The possibilities are endless. Now, if you haven’t done either of the above, I certainly hope you have made the best effort in following my point no 1 and bought as much comfort food as you can handle. No one minds if you have chocolate and an a couple of iced donuts for lunch as long as you are happy. J
15. Get on the “Girl E Business” Blog page or Facebook page again to check on comments and see what everyone else has been up to today.
16. I hereby also give you permission to sleep the afternoon away if you like. Have an afternoon “Nanna Nap”. This is also a dying art but how long has it been since you’ve actually done it?
17. Make a list of things you have been grateful for this year. Think of as many things as possible. Start with being grateful for the Lunch you had today, that beautiful perfume you are wearing and the present you received this morning. J
18. Write a list of goals and aspirations you have for the upcoming years ahead. Don’t label them “New Year’s Resolutions” as I feel that this always put too much pressure on people. Just a plan of things you might like to happen for you, things you might like to do, and ways you might like to help others. With most people giving is always much easier than receiving as we know, but you must understand one thing this year, and that is that you deserve it. You are loved and are an inspiration to many so make sure you don’t limit yourself to what you can achieve.
19. Get on the Girl E Business Blog Page/Facebook, surf the net, play some games etc. etc. Let your inner child play today, just like you did when you were younger. If the kids are away, be it with the other parent, grandparents etc. then steal their PlayStation or Wii and go for it. If you completely annihilate their highest scores, just act dumb when they come home. The last thing they would think is that you, of all people, would have been playing their games LOLOL. Maybe you could say SANTA did it?
20. Get on the “Girl E Business” Blog page or Facebook page again write everything you would like to share about your day.
21. And last of all. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Enjoy your day and know that you aren’t alone and are lovingly thought of by all the “Girlies” involved with Girl E Business.
There are a number of websites that offer suggestions to people being alone at Christmas. Whilst they may be vastly different to the “Girl E Business” suggestions LOL, you may like to check out a few of these links that I would like to share with you.
Love and care always………… Girl E Business
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