Christmas abroad means missing friends, family and your family holiday traditions. But it also means sunshine, adventure, parties, beaches and learning new local holiday customs. Here’s the ultimate guide to surviving and thriving on your first overseas Christmas.

Use Skype, Facetime, Whatsapp, Ect.

These are your new favourite apps, they keep you connected with your friends and family at home. We are so lucky to live insucha high tech society. Gone are the days of snail mail only and expensive long distance phone calls. Now you can basically be in the living room with your family on Christmas!

Treat yourself

Remember, Christmas is a time for giving, so give something to yourself! Make sure you at least buy yourself some presents, treat yourself to a spa day, or whatever it is that you enjoy but don’t normally take time to do. Treat yourslef and break your budget a little bit for the day.

Decorate

 Even if you’re spending Christmas abroad alone, it doesn’t mean you can’t go all out. Get a Christmas tree and decorate the house! If you’re travelling and staying in a hostel, hopefully they have some Christmas spirit or you could go get some cheap decorations and dec out your bunk.
Whatever is going to help you get through the holiday season!

Party hard

Being with family is hard to beat, But it softens the blow of their absense if you’re drinking ‘buckets’ of cocktails in a Thai beach bar, surrounded by fire dancers, swimming in ocean or laying on a beach catching some rays.  

Who cares if you wake up and imedditly grab a drink, its a holiday. You can do what you want to make your self enjoy your day.

Adapt to the weather

Shorts, tank tops, bikinis, swimming shorts and sandals are the outfit of the day. Leave the (strangely fashionable) ironic Christmas sweater at home.

Celebrate an “Orphans Christmas”

This is the name you call it when people whose families are all far away so you all get togther to celabrate christmas as a subsatute family. There is no shortage of people staying in hostels, so spend Christmas with them, no need to be alone. Have a big celebration, go out for meal and incorporate everyones differnt traditions from all over of the world.

Have a day to yourself

If none of the above work and you absolutely find yourself alone on Christmas day, don’t worry. Take this as a day entirely for yourself. Turn off all your communication devices or log out of Facebook and Skype. Plan a Christmas day just for you. Whether that’s staying in making a delicious meal, or ordering whatever takeout is open, having a bath and watching movies all day. Or maybe it’s getting out and exploring the area you’re in. Going for a walk through a city that may be rather empty or for a walk amongst nature. You may have to spend Christmas alone while you’re living abroad or travelling alone, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. Remember, it’s just one day.

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