Christmas is cancelled... now what?

December 21, 2021 7:55 PM

Was planning to go spend the holidays with family--but omicron has put the kibosh on travel at the last minute. Any recommendations for Christmas for one?

I was planning to fly out and see my parents for Christmas through New Year's--but worries about omicron meant I cancelled today. It's probably for the best, as my family doesn't handle illness well, but I'm still bummed out. It's not like last year when everyone was sheltering in place and there was basically no Christmas--most people I know have either already flown out to see family or have folks within driving range. I feel a bit lonely.

I'm sure I'll have a merry Zoom Christmas, but does anyone have holiday traditions for one to share? I'm not personally worried about omicron so am happy to go out, but at-home traditions are great, too. I'm not religious, so I'd feel funny popping into church as anything other than a volunteer. Thanks!

posted by kingdead to Grab Bag (17 answers total)

I had a Christmas largely by myself a couple of years ago. I baked sugar cookies and decorated them a large portion of the day while listening to Christmas classics. It wasn't the best, but it felt a bit festive. I think I shared the cookies with the few people who happened by that day as well. Maybe spend some time writing a few holiday cards as well?
posted by knownfossils at 8:31 PM on December 21, 2021 [3 favorites]

Why not just reschedule Christmas? It's Saturday this year, and Saturdays are always great!
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:33 PM on December 21, 2021 [1 favorite]

Last year I used the pandemic as an excuse to embrace the most Jewish of Christmas traditions - eating Chinese takeout for Christmas dinner. I think it would be a lovely way to have dinner for one without doing a bunch of cooking while still taking part in a tradition. (ymmv if you enjoy cooking holiday meals.)
posted by A Blue Moon at 8:35 PM on December 21, 2021 [13 favorites]

Stock up on some lovely foods you like to eat, but don't normally get. If you like to cook/bake, do a little of that.

Treat yourself to a luxurious day: sleep in of course, do the types of things you would do on vacation (read, videogames, hobbies, movies, whatever you enjoy).

Don't push yourself to feel "festive." It's ok to have a quiet day of reflection and rest, and some nice phone calls, and a good meal, and maybe a walk. You don't have to pretend you're having a party. You don't have to do Christmas stuff unless you want to.

One fun thing to do might be to ask your parents on Zoom what their favorite Christmas childhood memory is, and tell them yours.
posted by emjaybee at 8:48 PM on December 21, 2021 [5 favorites]

last year i watched all the hard movies in one day and it was awesome
posted by wowenthusiast at 9:17 PM on December 21, 2021 [2 favorites]

Yeah, I made Chinese food and watched Hallmark Channel incessantly and made stuff. It wasn't bad, actually.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:04 PM on December 21, 2021 [3 favorites]

Here in Scotland we currently have about 17 hours of darkness per day. So the passing of the winter solstice - and the advent of longer days, really is a big deal - this is what Yule has always been about in northern Europe - and you don't have to be religious to celebrate the return of the light. Here are some ways of celebrating Yule - but, in short, I would make a big deal about seeing both the sunrise and the sunset while outside.
posted by rongorongo at 11:55 PM on December 21, 2021 [6 favorites]

I had one such a solo Christmas planned this year and it was sounding so lovely that when my roommate cancelled his own going-home plans it was actually slightly disappointing. What I was going to do was largely lay around and eat, and that's it.

There are a TON of web sites out there with recipes for the serves-one or serves-two size, and I planned three days' worth of food - waffles on Christmas Eve, some salmon cakes for dinner that night, and breakfast casserole for Christmas morning and a lavish Christmas dinner of turkey AND ham and a ton of vegetables and even a whole DESSERT BUFFET. I even found recipes for Boxing Day that would let me use up any leftovers from dinner, and also using up the cheese-and-charcuterie tray I'm ordering from a local supermarket.

And so I'm going to be laying around and eating most of the day and that's it. MAYBE if I'm ambitious I will go take a walk mid-day, or in the evening to see everyone else's lights or whatever. Or MAYBE go see a movie.

Plan yourself a FANTASTIC dinner, stock in a ton of snacky stuff for between meals and then lay around and eat and read and listen to Christmas music and feel no guilt about gluttony. If you feel you need to leave the house, go see a movie or just take a walk around your block.

(My roommate plans to join me on Christmas dinner, but otherwise my 3-day plan was too overwhelming and he is retreating back to takeout.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:29 AM on December 22, 2021 [3 favorites]

I've been alone on Xmas for years. What I do is buy myself some nice presents, such as books, music, and maybe some movies. I'm occupied and happy.

Happy Holidays Everyone!
posted by james33 at 4:37 AM on December 22, 2021 [4 favorites]

My go-to in the years when my husband often had to work over Christmas and I was solo without any transportation was to get Chinese and watch holiday movies - it's different enough from my personal longtime family traditions that it doesn't feel like the sad knockoff version of the day. Plan ahead so you either know what's open, or so you can buy it Friday and reheat. Also HIGHLY recommend laying in some nice treats, whether that means picking up the most luxe baked goods at the fanciest bakery in town, making yourself the most absurd spiked cocoa, or a baller cheese plate. If you haven't decorated your place at all because you thought you'd be going home, track down at least a string of lights or some leftover greenery or something and put it around. It's amazing what a difference even a little bit of twinkle and a nice smell can make. If you like making stuff, crafting or getting a gingerbread house kit would be fun (I just did this and you get to eat your work!), putting together a cozy puzzle, or playing games while listening to Christmas music in the background has been how I've spent nearly every weekend day of December. And then if you live in the sort of place where homes or businesses decorate, it's fun to walk around in the early evening and look at the lights.

I have a strained relationship with my family so it's not the best comparison here, but I've spent a bunch of Christmases under very less-than-ideal situations or alone and I think the key to not feeling glum about it is to plan ahead for a day that is indulgent, relaxing, but filled enough with planned activities that you don't get bored and wallow. Everything's closed and the live TV sucks, so don't assume you'll wake up and figure it out - that way lies FOMO.
posted by bowtiesarecool at 6:29 AM on December 22, 2021 [2 favorites]

I just can't deal with more Covid stress. I have a ham, will make scalloped potatoes, roasted squash, gingerbread. Ham freezes well and will be added to lots of future meals, ham broth is a great base for soup or risotto, so while it's a lot of ham, I've done it before and it's manageable, also quite affordable. My son will visit, whether for dinner or not is uncertain, there will be family calls. I have books, movies, streaming video and it will be a nice day. I got a string of multicolor lights that change color; festive AF.
posted by theora55 at 7:52 AM on December 22, 2021 [2 favorites]

My beloved is not a festive person, so all of my Christmas traditions are really just for me.

Wrap up a book (or a game etc) you know you'll love and wait to open it until Christmas morning. Read book/play game. I have two books wrapped up for myself and I'm so pumped to read all day.

Music all day long. Because it's just for you, listen to whatever makes you happy. I'm a fan of 'Tis The Season To Be Jelly by the Mothers of Invention.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 9:19 AM on December 22, 2021 [2 favorites]

You could watch the MST3K Christmas marathon being put on by JHarris et al.
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:54 AM on December 22, 2021 [4 favorites]

I spend every single Christmas making French Onion soup and drinking bourbon. Usually alone. It’s terrific.
posted by aspersioncast at 10:13 AM on December 22, 2021 [4 favorites]

This is what the Yuletide fanfiction exchange was made for! It's a nerdy and bookish collection with lots of original fiction sparked by things like historical figures or music videos, so you don't have to be In Fandom in capital letters to enjoy the experience.

Here is a link to stories sorted by the text that inspired them.

Here is a countdown clock showing how long the wait is until the stories will be revealed.

Browse through, find a childhood favorite or an escapist pleasure, and lie in wait!
posted by yarntheory at 8:29 AM on December 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

Oh - if your friends and/or family have been mailing you packages, save opening all that stuff for Christmas. Even if you're the only person around and no one would REALLY know if you cheated and opened things the second you got them. It doesn't seem like it would matter, but there really is something to seeing that little pile of things slowly growing over the next few days to the point where it's finally YAY CHRISTMAS and you get to dive in and unwrap everything in an orgy of "yay I got presents!".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:24 AM on December 23, 2021

Response by poster: Replying to this ages later to say that the replies here really did help me get through Christmas with as much of the spirit possible (also, I still need to figure out how to glaze a ham).
posted by kingdead at 12:31 PM on January 7, 2022