An Aussie Abroad: How to Survive Christmas Away From Home
Travelling away from family in the silly season can be lonely but there are ways you can make your Christmas and New Year celebrations a little more exciting.
No matter if you’re travelling abroad or just stuck on the other side of the country due to work, having Christmas alone can be filled with homesickness and feelings of FOMO. Simply knowing your friends and family will be celebrating, feasting and getting on the booze without you can be a little bit of a downer.
But don’t worry I’ve got you covered with a checklist of ways to survive your first Christmas away from home.
Hold a pre-Christmas
If you’re heading off before 25 December simply organise a pre-Christmas.
Do everything you’d usually do on Christmas. Eat so much food you’re put into hibernation, make sure someone drinks a few too many cheeky rums and laugh reluctantly at those crappy Christmas cracker jokes.
After your pre-Christmas you won’t feel the need to celebrate again because you’ll be too full/ hungover from the first.
Inject a little home into your Christmas abroad
When you’re in a country where everything looks, sounds and smells different it can feel like a far cry from home, but the little things make a world of difference. Bring along some family Christmas photos with Santa, or that horrid jumper your nanna knitted you last Christmas, or download those crooning Michael Buble carol’s your mum always swoons over. It will make everything feel a little more homely.
Embrace new traditions
When you’re abroad you’ll find new and quirky things to celebrate. Head along to a local Christmas pageant, attend midnight mass at an orthodox church or simply head to the local pub and enjoy the warm presence of strangers. Embrace the cultures around you and take part in the local festivities.
Have a very video-chatty Christmas
Skype, Facebook Messanger and WhatsApp are all bloody amazing tool for keeping long distance relationship together, so you should utilise all the video chats to the max. Before you leave give your family some pressies to open on Christmas, or post them home from abroad, and watch as they unwrap their gifts from a different timezone.
Adopt a new ‘family’
If you find yourself in a deserted hostel this Christmas then welcome the people around you and form a new family. Chances are you’ll not be the only one celebrating alone this Christmas. So find some mates and get yourself down to the local generic chain store fast food restaurant (because they’re usually the only shops open on Christmas) and treat yourself to a little greasy Christmas dinner from a box. Even start a Secret Santa or a present swap for some people in the hostel.
Save any presents for the big day
Without fail someone will surprise you with a Christmas gift or card from home, but fight the urge to rip it open instantly and hold onto it for Christmas morning. It will give you something to look forward to on the big day.
Be mindful of social media or use it to brag the heck out of your Christmas abroad
Everyone you know will be posting pictures of Christmas feasts and big families on social media and this could conjure up homesickness and FOMO. Try to have a social media free day this Christmas and you’ll avoid all the pictures from home. Alternatively if you’re in the middle of some glorious foreign Christmas dinner or you’re celebrating in some unique and festive way use social media to brag about it. Make yourself feel good with a little travel brag and you’ll soon be racking up the likes.
The last thing I’d suggest is, make sure you chill out and don’t take it too seriously. There will always be another Christmas and realistically, it is just one day out of some 365.
