DECORATE THE HOUSE: It doesn’t have to be much, and it doesn’t have to be a tree. But hanging up a string of Christmas lights will definitely help you get into the mood.
BUY AND WRAP YOURSELF SOME PRESENTS: Seriously, if no one else is going to do it for you, why not doing it yourself? You do deserve them, don’t you?
FORGET ABOUT TRADITION: When shopping for food, forget about the old reliable for Christmas dinner. Just think of what food you would like to eat and indulge in that. If it’s a roast, buy the best meat you can afford. If it’s a sandwich, get ingredients for the best sandwich you can dream of.
If you don’t feel like cooking, cut yourself some slack and buy good quality ready made stuff. Tinned duck confit for example, tastes fantastic with onion confit from a jar and lentils or baguette. A few salad leaves and you’re ready to party.
Tradition can go out of the window when you’re celebrating solo
BE AS LAZY OR AS BUSY AS YOU LIKE: Come Christmas day, watch television in your pyjamas all day. Read that novel that’s been by your bedside since last summer. Take a long bath. Do nothing at all if you like.
Or get busy. Take a refreshing walk, treating yourself to a mug of hot cocoa on the road. Clean out that bulging wardrobe, dusty attic or those sticky kitchen cabinets. Do yoga. Do anything, as long as it feels good.
DON’T SPEND ALL DAY COMMUNICATING: Don’t fill your whole day skyping or phoning with family or friends far away. Of course, you’ll want to speak to loved ones. But pick a moment – for example at 4 in the afternoon, when it’s getting dark and it’s the perfect time to virtually raise a glass with them – and then get back to your own celebrations.
The same goes for social media. If you’re going to be on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram all day, you have a good chance of suffering from FOMO. So by all means, communicate with the world. But only as long as it makes you feel good.
MAKE A REALLY DELICIOUS DINNER: Make it as simple or elaborate as you want to. Set the table with your favourite tableware. Light a few candles. Open a really nice bottle of wine. Put on some music and enjoy your own company.