How to celebrate the holidays when you are away from the family

COVID made the holidays much harder to see our friends and family last year. While many COVID restrictions have since been lifted, some families remain cautious. This may mean that you won’t be heading to your aunt’s house for the big family reunion like you normally would. For those of you who live alone, spending the holidays alone can feel lonely. Many people struggle with loneliness and depression during the vacation months. COVID has made these statistics even more important. However, spending the holidays alone doesn’t have to be so bad. Read below for some tips on how to celebrate the holidays away from loved ones.

Continue the holiday traditions

Just because you’ll be ringing the New Year on your own doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate the holidays the way you normally would. In fact, why not give it your all this year? Go wild over holiday decorations until they look like a Martha Stewart catalog vomited in your home or apartment. Bake gingerbread cookies and eat them on your own (yum). Watch all your favorite Christmas movies while sipping eggnog in your pajamas. The holidays are a magical time of the year. Enjoy them while you can, even if you don’t have anyone to celebrate them with.

Make greeting cards

We all wish we were the kind of person who remembers sending greeting cards every year. But, one way or another, we never seem to get away with it. If you spend the holidays away from your family this year, you will have more free time. Make this year the year you pull out your address book and send thoughtful vacation greetings to all your friends and family. You probably won’t be the only one spending the vacation away from home. A greeting card will mean even more to someone who is also missed by friends and family. If you want to go the extra mile, buy a tripod and snap a picture of yourself wearing your ugliest Christmas sweater. Stick it with your greeting card to make sure you bring a smile to the faces of your loved ones.

Host a virtual holiday party

Nowadays, we no longer have to get on a plane to see our loved ones who live across the country. Thanks to technology, we can see the faces of our loved ones on our phones and computer screens. Zoom meetings have grown in popularity during lockdowns to give people the opportunity to meet virtually. Families can take advantage of the platform to have a virtual meeting with several people at the same time. Plan a date that works for all of you and get ready as you would a normal party. Pick up a party outfit and pop out the champagne while joking and sharing stories with your family members from the comfort of your sofa. It’s the best thing to see your family in person and it makes vacations alone a little more bearable.