How To Spend Christmas Alone While Travelling And Still Enjoy The Day

Spending Christmas alone while travelling can feel like a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. It may feel exciting and freeing one moment, then strange or lonely the next. You may have chosen to be away or may not be able to return home. Either way, it can be difficult to know how Christmas will feel until the day arrives.

I spent my first Christmas alone when I was 21 and living in Canada. I worked that day, which made it both easier and harder. The shift kept me busy and gave me people to talk to, but I could also see everyone else spending Christmas together. When I called my family over Skype, I became very aware of how far from home I was.

Since then, I have spent many more Christmases abroad with my partner’s family. I still miss my own family, but I also love Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere: the early darkness, bright Christmas lights, sparkly streets, festive markets, and different foods. It feels very different from a summer Christmas at home in New Zealand, and that is part of what makes it memorable.

Christmas away from home usually needs a little more planning than an ordinary day of travel. This guide covers how to arrange food and company, stay connected with people at home, plan a Christmas Day you will enjoy, and cope with homesickness if it appears.

Why Spending Christmas Alone While Travelling Can Feel Different

There is a difference between choosing to have a quiet Christmas and finding yourself alone when you would rather have company. Some people will love having the day to themselves, while others may find the quiet difficult.

Being alone and feeling lonely are not necessarily the same thing. Research suggests that solitude often feels better when it is chosen and spent doing something personally meaningful. An intentionally quiet Christmas may therefore feel restful, while an unexpectedly empty day can feel much harder. Giving yourself options for both company and time alone can help the day feel more within your control. 

Christmas can make being away from home feel harder because so much of the day usually revolves around family, friends, food, and familiar traditions. When everyone at home is gathering without you, even a small moment of loneliness can feel much bigger than it would on an ordinary travel day.

This can make you wonder whether travelling at Christmas was the wrong choice. Missing your family does not mean that it was. You can feel homesick and still enjoy being somewhere new.

If Christmas is part of a longer trip, our guide to solo travel and mental health has more practical advice about loneliness, routines, eating alone, and choosing accommodation.

Decide How Social You Want Christmas To Be

Before making plans, think about how much time you actually want to spend with other people. Some travellers would love a large Christmas dinner, while others may prefer a quiet morning, one shared meal, and an evening watching films alone.

You can also change your plans throughout the day. You might call your family in the morning, spend lunch with other travellers, and keep the evening for yourself. There is no need to fill every hour just because you are worried that being alone on Christmas Day will feel strange.

Choose Accommodation That Will Feel Welcoming

Where you stay can make a big difference when you are spending Christmas alone while travelling. Before booking, check whether the reception, restaurant, bar, and shared spaces will be open. It is also worth asking whether the accommodation has a Christmas meal or event planned rather than relying on photographs or information from previous years.

One of my favourite Christmas stays was at The Rubens at the Palace in London. It was expensive, but there were Christmas carols playing on the TV and a stocking waiting on the door in the morning. Those small details made it feel like somewhere special to spend Christmas rather than just a room to sleep in.

If you would prefer a quiet day, an apartment with a kitchen, comfortable living space, and some favourite food may suit you better. The important thing is knowing what the accommodation will be like on Christmas Day before you arrive.

How To Meet People When Travelling Alone At Christmas

If you decide you would like some company, look for plans before Christmas Day. Hostel meals, hotel bars, group activities, and local events are all good places to start. Reception staff may also know what is happening nearby or whether other guests are looking for something to do.

Churches often welcome visitors to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. You may also receive an invitation from another traveller or someone you meet locally. You do not have to spend the entire day with them. Joining for a meal, a drink, or a walk may be enough.

What To Do On Christmas Day Alone While Travelling

Christmas Day is not the easiest time to rely on spontaneous plans. Public transport may stop running, restaurants can be fully booked, and shops and attractions that are normally open may close for the day.

We found this out the hard way in London when we discovered that taxis needed to be booked in advance. We had not arranged one and ended up walking for two hours to get back to our accommodation.

This doesn’t mean you need to schedule every hour, but having a loose plan can make the day feel more enjoyable.

A simple solo Christmas Day plan could include:

• Morning: Make a favourite breakfast, open a present, or call home.
• Late morning: Walk through a park, along the waterfront, or around a decorated neighbourhood.
• Lunch: Have a restaurant booking or food ready at your accommodation.
• Afternoon: Join an event, spend time in a shared lounge, read, or watch a familiar film.
• Evening: Message someone, play a game, or do something comforting before returning to your room.

Before Christmas Eve, confirm your transport options, save any walking routes you may need, buy food and drinks, and check which facilities will remain open at your accommodation. If you plan to eat out or attend an event, book it in advance rather than assuming there will be space on the day.

It is also worth downloading a film or podcast, or packing a book, so you have an indoor option if it rains or you are too tired to go out. A Christmas film or themed novel can make a quiet afternoon feel like part of the plan rather than something you are doing because everything else is closed. Our guide to reading on holiday has more ideas for enjoying a book without turning it into another goal.

Arrange A Christmas Meal In Advance

Christmas lunch can be one of the parts of the day you miss most when you are away from home. A 7-Eleven dinner might be perfectly fine on an ordinary travel day, but it may feel disappointing when you know your family is sitting down to their usual Christmas meal.

Many restaurants and hotels serve Christmas Day lunches, but they often have set menus and can book out well in advance. Eating alone may also feel less awkward than you expect; hotels and restaurants often have other solo travellers, people visiting from overseas, and guests having a less traditional Christmas.

If a restaurant meal is too expensive or doesn’t appeal, buy food before the shops close. Forget trying to recreate your whole family Christmas dinner in a hostel kitchen. Choose something you really want to eat, even if it is a little more expensive or indulgent than what you would usually buy while travelling.

Plan Calls Home Around The Time Difference

Calling home may be one of the best parts of Christmas abroad, but it can also be the moment when homesickness hits. Seeing everyone eating, opening presents, and spending time together can make you feel much further away once the call ends.

Arrange a time beforehand so you are not waiting all day for people to become available. Check the time difference and decide whether you want one big family call or a few shorter conversations. You could open presents together, join part of the family meal, or ask someone to take you into the kitchen while everyone is preparing food.

It is also worth deciding what you will do after the call. You could go for your walk, head to lunch, make a coffee, or put on the film you planned to watch. Having something to do afterwards can help when the room suddenly feels very quiet.

Video calls are much easier now than they were during my first Christmas abroad, when Skype was the main way I could see my family. Calling home can help you feel included, but you do not need to spend your whole day watching Christmas happen somewhere else.

Keep A Tradition And Create A New One

Christmas abroad probably won’t feel exactly like Christmas at home. Rather than trying to copy the whole day, choose one or two familiar things that will help it still feel like Christmas to you.

You might pack a small decoration, make your usual Christmas breakfast, play the music your family listens to, or open a present while speaking to them on a video call. Instead of bringing every tradition with you, pick one or two that are easy to add to your day.

You can then add something you would not usually do at home. Go for a walk around the city, try a local Christmas dish, attend a church service, or even go for a swim if you are somewhere warm. It may be different from your usual Christmas, but that can also become part of what makes it memorable.

What To Do If You Feel Homesick On Christmas Day

Homesickness can catch you off guard, even if you were looking forward to spending Christmas abroad. It might hit after you finish a call with your family, see photographs of everyone eating together, or return to a quiet room at the end of the day. You may feel sad, but you might also feel flat, grumpy, distracted, or suddenly desperate for something familiar.

If that happens, try not to decide that the whole day is ruined. Often, you only need to get through that particular moment. Have something to eat, go for a walk, put on a favourite Christmas film, or message someone who will understand. If you are staying in a hostel or hotel, sitting in the shared lounge or bar can also feel better than staying alone in your room.

Social media can make homesickness worse when it looks as though everyone else is having the perfect Christmas. If scrolling is making you feel left out, put your phone away for an hour and do something you had planned for your own day. You can always look at the photographs later.

If you are finding the day harder than expected, tell someone. A direct message such as, “I’m feeling quite homesick. Are you free for a quick call?” is easier for people to respond to than hoping they notice something is wrong. You do not have to pretend you are having a wonderful time just because you chose to travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Sad To Spend Christmas Alone?

Spending Christmas alone is not automatically sad. Some people enjoy the freedom and quiet, while others find parts of the day difficult. Your experience will depend on whether the time alone feels chosen, how you spend it, and whether you have access to the amount of connection you want.

Where Should A Solo Traveller Stay At Christmas?

Choose accommodation that matches the Christmas you want. A social hostel may offer meals and events, while a hotel with an open bar, restaurant, or festive programme can feel welcoming. An apartment may be better if you want privacy and the option to cook. Confirm Christmas opening hours and events directly before booking.

What Can I Do Alone On Christmas Day While Travelling?

Plan a few activities that will still be available, such as a walk, a booked meal, a church service, a hostel event, a family call, or a favourite film. Check transport and opening hours in advance, and keep one comfortable indoor option available in case the weather or your energy changes.

Make Christmas Day Work For You

Spending Christmas alone also means you get to decide exactly what you want to do with your day. You can sleep in, have an unusual Christmas lunch, spend the afternoon watching films, go for a long walk, or join other people for only part of the day. It doesn’t need to resemble anyone else’s Christmas.

From my own Christmases abroad, I know it is possible to enjoy the day and still wish your family were there. Both feelings can exist at the same time.

Once you have made the practical arrangements, try not to put too much pressure on yourself to have a perfect Christmas. It may be very different from the one you usually have, but it can still be a really good one.

You can find more advice about meeting people, travelling with others, and looking after your emotional wellbeing in our Emotional Wellbeing guides. For more practical, psychology-informed travel advice, explore the Nomadic Balance homepage.