DAY 12
Christmas time equals family time. What if you are not able to spend Christmas with your family? Covid and studying abroad make it hard to physically be with your loved ones over the best time of the year.
Through experience, there are some things that seem to ease the pain for a bit:
1. Don’t wait for a home. Create it.
It is apparent that many won’t be able to spend Christmas at home. But: What is home exactly? If you accept that home is where you are and that you can have a festive time with yourself things get way easier. Decorate, bake and sing. Don’t miss out on anything because it is not like it used to be. Create a new tradition.
2. Go out and have events that you are looking forward to.
There are so many things to do. Christmas concerts, markets, craft workshops. There are so many opportunities to connect with others and be around the Christmas atmosphere. Try new things and soak in the lights, smells and good food.
3. Spend time with your friends and other loved ones.
Make the best out of the situation with the people you have around. Once you open up about be alone in the Christmas period you will probably notice that you are not the only one. Celebrate with others that are around you and have a feast with them. You can have a homey feeling with others as well.
4. Be present with your loved ones from afar.
Write your family a letter, video call them, send them presents. You can be part of the celebration from another part of the world as well. It is all about the thought. Love doesn’t have any borders. It’s about trying and doing your best.
5. Have a good time with yourself.
Being alone doesn’t have to mean that you are lonely.
Spending time with yourself can be one of the most rewarding things on earth. Try to be your best friend, try to discover new things about yourself and spend quality time. We often cancel our thoughts with outer distractions. What happens if we actually listen and try to live in the moment for once?
Travelling alone or living alone is liberating and freeing once you accept that it’s nothing bad to exist in solitude. Embrace it.
6. Do something that you love.
Christmas is the time of the year where it’s all about reflection. The world stops for a moment to see what happened this year and set new goals for the future. Be creative: write, draw, bake. Do something that you love and that you postpone often because you usually “don’t have the time”.
7. Share your thoughts.
Be open if you struggle. Your loved ones are there to catch you and listen. No one can help you if you don’t open up about your difficulties. How do you really feel? Talk. Talking helps. Believe me.
Enjoy this time as much as you can. This time before the new year is the best period to breathe in and out for a second before the storm starts again. Cherish the moment and be grateful for the joys and difficulties that this year has brought.
Feature Image Credit: Pexels Free Photos
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