Have you ever spent a major, family-oriented holiday alone?

I was home alone last Christmas Eve. There was a big mix up, and it just worked out that I was alone. I didn’t really mind, I knew I would see everyone the next day. I might have deliberately chosen to be alone last Thanksgiving, but I can’t remember now if I changed my mind at the last minute or not. I forget. So, if I was alone.. apparently it didn’t leave any permanent scars, because I can’t even remember.
I think I’m getting to the point where I’m sick of doing the running around for every holiday. Trying to see everyone, trying to time everything down to the minute, all of the driving. I’m ready to start doing the holidays here, so I have less of that.

I once spent a Christmas by myself. I threw a few decorations on my ficus, had three or four wrapped presents that people had sent me, and baked/roasted a chicken with all the trimmings for myself and managed. It was really all that bad at all.

I’ve spent many holidays deployed overseas. My most memorable Christmas Eve was sitting on a HLZ in the rain, waiting for a helo. I pretty much just thought of it as just another day, and made up for it when I came home.

Once again, that was supposed to read: “It was really not all that bad.”

Yes I spent a lot of holidays alone [because I chose to]. Sometimes it’s annoying to do all them preparations then see one just ruins it for all. Not to mention holidays for me are like normal days. I do like them and enjoy them but it’s not fun to prepare for something great then see all you tried went down the drain.

Many. When I was out in college I missed out on many cultural holidays that people there didn’t celebrate so I was all alone. I just pretended they were any other day. Had no other choice really. I would miss them severly when they’d call and tell me about the happenings of the day.

No, but not from lack of trying…

I thought this was going to be a question about going to Disneyland by yourself

A few. I was in France one christmas, but I was on duty so I worked, stood a late watch, then went to sleep.

Another time I just didn’t have money to fly home, so I stayed in my barracks and played video games.

Also had duty on a couple 4th of julys.

I didn’t care. It is what it is.

I have spent 3 Christmas’ alone. Twice I had the flu (and wasn’t feeling up to par), and the other my parents were on vacation.
Most miserable days of my life.

Yup. And I actually enjoyed those.

Several of them, multiple Thanksgivings, Christmas’s, Easters and other “lesser” ones while both home and traveling. The circumstances vary but usually it’s some combination of wrong place wrong time between parties, but always expected/anticipated aside from a couple times when I was snowed/iced in. It seems to bother my family much more than it does me. I actually rather enjoy it, particularly when it’s cold and snowy out, very quiet and relaxing. Other times I go people watch or walk packed streets leading up to the holidays and empty ones (or nearly so) on the day itself. I have some very happy memories of those holidays, just as pleasant as those with family and friends.

No, never have. Closest was a christmas a few years ago when it snowed about a foot and a half and we delayed christmas for a day. I still had my girl with me so we had a nice quiet christmas at home and got together with the family the next day.

*When you have kids… and You’re divorced, it goes with the territory. Sometimes, he get’s them and ahhh, no stress, no cooking, no drama. It’s lovely… Pretty much like when we were married, only he actually SEE’S them now…

I have traveled on holidays, but I was with my husband. It was very refreshing.

Yes. It was a Christmas early in my adult life after I had moved across Canada. It was an “inbetween” year and nothing much had developed along social lines at that time. I recall the quietude of it and the “piney” feelings connected. Times like that caused a “reflective” natured person such as myself to really appreciate all the more the new connections and social growths that came as time unfolded.

I don’t think so, but I could definitely do without Christmas. I hate all the expectations. The holiday has never matched up to my expectations and all in all, I’d rather do without it. Same with my birthday for the same reasons. These are days I’d rather be alone and forgotten. So long as people remember me the next day.

Thanksgiving, however, is very important to me. I would hate to be alone on Thanksgiving. Those are the only two holidays I celebrate.

Christmas, for me, is not religious. Well, not in the way people usually think about it. I see it as a holiday that celebrates consumption and the economy. The bigger the Christmas, the better the economy and the happier people are, overall. If you think this is cynical, just ask yourself if you would like the economy to be as it is now when Christmas comes around, or whether you would like something to goose the economy into a more brawny state? If you want more people to have jobs, a rollicking free-for-all Christmas is extremely important.

My family isn’t close that much anymore, as we were when I was first an adult. I’ve spent several christmases and thanksgivings alone, and have a traditional turkey pot pie. Other than that, they seem but just another ordinary day.

I’ve spent a lot of Christmases and a couple Thanksgivings alone. My family isn’t close. It was nice to not have to deal with all the bullshit.

Nope, and that would seriously bum me out.

I was so poor one year that I elected to stay in my hometown in order to look after my boss’s dog (I got $20 a day to walk it/feed it while she was out of the country…) rather than go spend the Christmas holiday with my girlfriend’s family. Those were lean times.

Not yet, it would be depressing for me. I look forward to the big holidays most people get time off for because that’s when I can see good friends.

Yes. It’s never been a problem. In high school I had lots of practice in NOT going to dances because I didn’t get invited. I learned that the time goes by anyhow and there’s nothing much to do about it and it isn’t the end of the world. Same with holidays.

Home alone and sick this Rosh HaShanah. We will be having Shabbes lunch with family though.

Following a separation from my wife I spent my first ever Christmas day on my own several years ago. I mentally geared myself up to feeling miserable and depressed all day but I actually felt fine. It was nice and peaceful and relaxed with a few flakes of snow. I didn’t do anything, but I felt quite comfortable. I did feel a little twinge when visitors arrived at my neighbour’s house but I have had many great Christmases and so I can’t complain. Boxing Day was different. I wasn’t alone then.

I spent one Thanksgiving running away from school. Dinner was a cheeseburger, and the day was a train ride, an airport sojourn, and a flight home. It all felt very weird and dreamlike. That was the first time I dropped out of college, and everything about it was out of focus.

The one Christmas that I spent with a boyfriend’s family, I’d have been better off alone. The same with my father’s second family. I hope I never again have to witness a Christmas event that involves a ripping, rending, squealing brawl of greedy children-turned-wolves scrambling beneath a tree.

Completely alone, no, but the Thanksgiving after I lost my second husband was spent alone with my 12 year old son. We spent the entire week camping in a newly purchased, old VW camper and ate peanut butter sandwiches and trail mix.

Not entirely alone. One Christmas my children spent the day with my ex (he normally doesn’t bother to see them at all), so there was just my husband and I. He took me on a picnic and we postponed Christmas until the children were home. I did feel a bit sad because those traditional times are important to my children and I and I missed them.

I spent a Christmas alone in my early twenties. I usually spent Christmas with my dad, but now he’s dead. XD I felt a little sad, but it went away, and I just played games all night. I didn’t even talk to my grandma on the phone that year, and we usually do on holidays. Really wasn’t too bad though, and I don’t really like Christmas anyways. There are a few Christmases and New Years where I had to work, that’s even worse than being alone. XD

And even these days, if it wasn’t for friends inviting me over to spend one or two nights over at their family Christmas gatherings, I wouldn’t do much at all.
I also spent some birthdays alone, but I always get well wishes and happy birthdays thrown at me here and there, from people I know or phone calls or e-mails, or people coming to drop off prezzies, or getting some through the mail. That’s good enough for me, at the age that I’m at now.

Halloween, a favorite holiday that I had never, ever missed sharing with my kids… until I was curled up in fetal position in a dark room, alone, for 2 weeks with H1N1 back in October of 2009. I quarantined myself- my kids weren’t allowed near me except for my daughter coming in for 30 seconds to show me her Batgirl costume.

This year, my Halloween decorations are in a box by the door, waiting for Oct 1!

i decided not to share : )

One year I worked in a hotel/motorlodge, which had to be staffed around the clock. That year my shift was on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was living in a college town, so most everybody was gone.

Thanksgiving I worked afternoon to late evening, so I missed any dinner chances. I had take out food for dinner. But Christmas was worse; I worked Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and the town seemed to be devoid of anybody but stray dogs. I had a Swanson’s turkey pie for Christmas lunch. Most depressing time of my life.