What to Do When Alone at Christmas

The idea of volunteering at Christmas may not appeal to some people, especially those of a shy disposition or lacking in confidence. However, volunteering at Christmas is incredibly rewarding – and fun!

There are many opportunities for volunteering over the Christmas period – homeless shelters, helpline switchboards and homes for the elderly are just a few of the places where voluntary help is welcome.

Volunteers are kept so busy that there isn’t time to feel self-conscious and the people on the receiving end are very grateful to volunteers who have given up their time. This kind of activity is a real confidence booster and opens doors to new social opportunities. Some organisations offer a short training programme.

There are many local churches who open their doors to the homeless over the Christmas period and would really welcome volunteer help. New helpers are surprised at the cheerful, happy atmosphere they experience when volunteering at Christmas.

Here are some websites with ideas about volunteering during the Christmas Season and after:

Crisis at Christmas

Timebank

The Salvation Army

Up and down the United Kingdom there are retreat houses which welcome visitors over the Christmas period. A retreat house is a place of sanctuary, often, but not always,  run by religious organisations but welcoming people of any religion or none.

The majority of retreat houses are there to serve your spiritual needs – but this does not mean that guests need to have any particular religious beliefs or join in any services. The people who run these retreat centres are very respectful of the needs of their guests and fully understand the desire for solitude.

However, there is a warm welcome for anyone wishing to join in the Christmas festivities. Above is a photograph of a beautiful retreat centre that is open in the Lake District over Christmas. You can find out more from their website.

There are many more centres of varying sizes and prices in the UK, including a Christmas Buddhist Retreat on Holy Isle, off the coast of Scotland, where you receive full board and lodging and the chance to learn meditation, for a suggested donation of £10 a day.  Here is their website.

Belmont Abbey on the border of England and Wales is another choice for a great retreat at Christmas.  It is a Catholic retreat centre which welcomes people from all denominations or none.  If you want the full on Christmas experience Belmont Abbey is a wonderful choice.

The food at Belmont Abbey is plentiful and delicious and the wine and beer flows constantly!  You can attend Midnight Mass in the beautiful abbey if you want, and during the day take a walk round the monastery gardens.  If you have a car, the surrounding countryside is stunning.

It's a Benedictine monastery so hospitality is part of the monks' culture! 

Here is the website for Belmont Abbey.

An extremely useful book which is published annually is Retreats: Programmes and Events for over 200 Retreat Centres. It is a wealth of information, not only about Christmas retreats, but year-round retreats. 

You can find this book on the Retreat Association's website.

Youth hostels welcome guests of all ages. They are cheerful, lively places guaranteed to ensure everyone feels included. There are some single rooms, but this might not be guaranteed.

There will be opportunities to walk in the countryside if the hostel is in a rural location, or have a quiet read, as well as games, quizzes, good food and drink and a warm atmosphere.

There could be a number of boisterous children around the place, so bear this in mind!

You can find out all about Christmas at the Youth Hostels Association website. Rates are reasonable.

Holidays for disabled people can be found through the website, Disability Holidays, here.  Many venues will cater for the Christmas season when both the disabled and their carers will welcome a break.

An example of a particularly well-liked hotel which caters for disabled guests is Merton House, Rhyl, Wales, pictured above.   Merton House is a non-profit organisation and a registered charity.

One of the great advantages for a disabled person on their own at Christmas is that Merton House offers a door-to-door transport service.  This alleviates the stress of travelling by public transport alone or driving long distances.  Once there, you will be with like-minded guests and staff who understand your needs.

Merton House has ground floor rooms which are adapted for wheelchair users and their Christmas festivities last for either five or ten days.  Their comments section suggests that this is a very popular hotel for those with disabilities. Their website is here.

Consider taking a Christmas walking break.   The advantage is you can walk off your Christmas dinner and get out into the fresh air as well as meeting new people.

This organisation welcomes single people and they provide Christmas holidays both here and abroad.  

The Ramblers have plenty of choice if you decide to stay in the United Kingdom.  Have a look at this link here.

If you fancy going overseas there is so much to choose from including Crete, Cote d'Azur, and the island of Samos.  To look at their full list follow this link.

The problem with traditional festivities such as Christmas is that the emphasis is often on the family gathering.   But not everyone fits into this criteria.  Most people are fine with this most of the time - but even the most resolute 'loners' can feel a spasm of emptiness over the Christmas period. 

If it isn't possible to be away from home over Christmas, is there a lonely person in the neighbourhood who might welcome some company - a refugee, an elderly or disabled person or a youngster who is alone? It takes courage to approach people who are both neighbours and relative strangers, but such efforts can give life a deeper meaning.

Even if you are not religious, visiting a church over the Christmas period and taking part in Midnight Mass and/or a carol service puts the whole thing in its true perspective. Services are held on most days over the Christmas period.  You don't have to become involved, you won't be expected to,  but you  can soak up the atmosphere, far away from the commercial madness of the outside world.

Planning ahead and being willing to try new experiences can make being alone at Christmas a positive experience.