ChristmasLoneliness

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10 Tips to Cope with Loneliness at Christmas

Every advertisement, every television show reminds us that Christmas is a time to be with family yet many of us find ourselves alone. Some people find that they start to feel depressed as Christmas approaches. If you dread Christmas for this reason, try some of the following ideas to help you deal with the loneliness and enjoy your Christmas.

Buy yourself a present and open it on Christmas Day. Even although you know what it is, keeping it until then will increase the enjoyment!

Plan your day. Pamper yourself - have good food, music, books, DVDs (make sure the DVDs and books are ones that lift your spirits!). Have a bubble bath - take care of yourself and remember that you are speical. Make Christmas a day when you focus on nothing but your own comfort. Do you what you want without feeling guilty about it.

Check with organisations like churches and local community groups for events. Often they have a number of things organised at this time of year. This is also a good way to connect with others who may be experiencing similar feelings to yourself.

Organise a casual dinner (bring a plate!) or barbeque and invite other singles to share with you. People often feel that they can't invite others if they don't know them very well. Christmas is an opportunity to get to know others - take advantage of this special time to reach out. You may make some new friends!

Phone somebody! People often feel that they can't impose by phoning others as they will be busy with their families. However, many people would love to get a phone call and know that they are remembered - they may even welcome the chance to have a break from some of those relatives!

Write some letters to those people you can't phone. These days, the art of letter writing is in decline and most of us only get bills in the mail. By writing a letter, you are planning a special surprise for somebody. It will help you to feel closer to them and you can imagine their face when they find the letter amongst the bills!

Volunteer for one of the organisations that offer services on Christmas Day. Offer to serve the homeless their holiday meal. Or visit a nursing home. Helping to look after others often makes us to feel worthwhile and needed. And realising that there are others whose situation is as bad, if not worse, than yours will help to put things into proportion

If you are employed by an organisation that is open on Christmas Day, offer to work. It's better to keep yourself busy than to be home on your own. And you'll make some extra money that you can spend on pampering yourself.

Get out of the house! Take your camera and go on a photography trip. You might decide on a theme for your photographs (like animals or silly street signs) or you can just snap whatever takes your fancy. Then you can mount them in an album or frame some or make a scrapbook. Looking for things to photograph will keep your mind of your feelings and you might end up with something impressive or funny to look at later.

Enjoy the freedom of not having to deal with anybody else! While the media would have us believe that Christmas is a time of fun and joy with family members, the reality for many people is that it is a time of stress and having to cope with people they don't particularly like. Focus on the fact that you don’t have to deal with others and find joy in knowing that you can look after yourself and do whatever you want (even if it is dancing naked in the kitchen!) without having to worry about others!