Just wondering how people deal with holidays on their own?

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Carrol450

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I was just sitting here with my dog and decided his conversational skills are way too limited (although his body language is impressive). Wondered how other people deal with finding themselves alone on family oriented holidays (it's Thanksgiving in Canada).
 

Welcome!!!! About holidays, a few ideas
Maybe start your own traditions maybe a nice hike with your pup and then a dinner you both enjoy.
Perhaps inviting some friends or acquaintances who are in the same boat for a pot luck supper to share.
Volunteering at a local temple, church or soup kitchen to give dinner to those less fortunate.
 

Welcome to the forum, Carrol. What I do is watch the tele, surf the internet, and sometime stir my memories with old photos of my family gathered around a large table of plenty enjoying the holiday together.
 
Carrol. welcome to the forum :)..I have spent many a holiday on my own in the past due to the family all being scattered miles apart and or my o/h working etc..

What I do when I know I'm gonna be alone on holidays is for the week preceding I record loads of fave tv programmes or films..I buy in my fave naughty food indulgences and I surf the net playing games and eating cake . I'll often go to the library and stack up on some books a few days before just in case I get tired of the aforesaid stuff.

If the weather is good and sunny...

I'll go and volunteer at the local Boarding kennels..Dogs don't know it's a holiday and often so many have been dropped off by their owners while they go away for the holiday so we have fun going for a walk or a run..and I'll take my camera with me and take photos of some beautiful scenery while I'm at it.. :D
 
Welcome to the forum Carrol, from the central California mountains. I can't answer your question but some of the others here have sure come up with some great ideas. Do you live in a large city or in the country or what? What kind of dog do you have and what is his name?
 
I'm blessed enough to still have some family here, in-laws. I adore my MIL and my brothers-in-law. I know when Dad passed and Mom was alone and I was in the Army, my useless sisters didn't care about her. I got my tail up here so she wouldn't be alone.

There are a lot of seniors who have this local group here and they keep each other company. Can you look up something like that in your area?

Welcome to the forum, Carrol!
 
Welcome to the forum, Carol!

My first rule for myself in dealing with holidays along is DO NOT MOPE! I agree with HollyDolly above -- get some of your favorite indulgences, movies, etc. and spend the day doing what you enjoy -- fix yourself a decent meal and spend the day binging on a series on Netflix (nothing Christmasy or sad). OR, do something you do not ordinarily do, like take a long drive in the mountains or something, so you have something else to fix your attention on. For me, the absolute worst thing I can do is to spend the say fixating on the "ghosts of Christmases past" -- that just plunges me into maudlin gloom. Or volunteer at a soup kitchen, anything to give you something to fix your attention on that gets you out of yourself a bit.

PS: Sometimes I buy something disgustingly sweet (chocolate cake?) and pig out. Of course I pay for that later on, but for me it's sometimes worth it.
 
Thanks for all these great ideas. Some were great for the here-and-now, and some are goals to set for the future. I've been through almost a year now by myself, and each holiday has been different. Christmas - be with amazing grandchildren. That was a no-brainer. Easter - ditto, but I don't think it would have been a biggie anyway. But Thanksgiving, holy cow, didn't see that one coming. Let's see, what to be thankful for? OK - onward and upward. There are things to do, a life to live, a future to plan.

This was my first experience in a forum, and what a great one. Reading through other threads I found a group of people who are really a community in the true sense.
 
Shirley said:
I suggest we all go to April's house. ;)
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:D That would be great as long as all don't mind sleeping on the floor which is where most will end up anyway after a night of tequila. The weekend before Thanksgiving be even as much fun if some would join me for the big back to prom night we're having out here. Carrol, you have a special invitation awaiting you.

If nothing else be sure to take your place at the table here on senior forum you are likely to find someone/s to keep you in good company. I'm thinking of helping out at one of the shelters this year if I'm not too late to sign up. I'm also going to face chat with some friends and family if I can figure this contraption out I already hung up on my nephew when he tried to face chat earlier, guess I hit all the wrong buttons.



http://www.meetup.com/ticketing/ticket_printable/?event_id=224856637
 
Carrol450 said:
My dog is a cocker spaniel with an amazing personality. I live in a small city, and need to take advantage of all it has to offer.
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My first dog was a cocker spaniel, she was one of the smaller ones, black and white. Her name was Patsy and for some reason, even though I was just 3 or 4 when we got her I never cared much for her. I didn't really get attached to dogs till the last few years. I live in the country and have to go 20 miles to get to a town of 8 or 9 thousand. Well, I just googled it and it's 25,000!!! I'm surprised its that large. I wish I lived in town but I try to make the best of country life. People always ask me why I don't have horses, goats, cows or chickens like most of the people up here do, but I have NO desire to and thankfully, neither does my husband.
 
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Hi Carrol, welcome! :wave:


EvoMagento-WS075_5.jpg
 
Linda living country life sounds pretty good to me, I think mostly I get out to be around lots of people at times simply because because I'm in such a area where seniors are so lively and active all the time, but, at heart, I see myself watching nature from a back porch or just reading a good book, sipping tea. Of course a time or two a year trips to a major city. :). Your life sounds lovely.
 
Thanks SeaBreeze. I love your pic. That is my dog exactly!! He was my husband's best friend - a loving and low maintenance. I came a distant second only because I fed him, then gained a few more brownie points when I let him sleep on the bed. Thanks for the special offer, April, but my days of tequila and prom dresses are long past:angel:.
 
AprilT said:
Linda living country life sounds pretty good to me, I think mostly I get out to be around lots of people at times simply because because I'm in such a area where seniors are so lively and active all the time, but, at heart, I see myself watching nature from a back porch or just reading a good book, sipping tea. Of course a time or two a year trips to a major city. :). Your life sounds lovely.
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AprilT, there is a lot of good things about country life and I really do appreciate it. Also I know I am lucky to have my older brother and my husband here to share it all with. I guess what I want is to own a house in town and still have this one in the country too. :) Were you born in April? I ask because April is a big month in my family, many people are born in April and it's just as popular for dying in too.


 
Linda said:
AprilT, there is a lot of good things about country life and I really do appreciate it. Also I know I am lucky to have my older brother and my husband here to share it all with. I guess what I want is to own a house in town and still have this one in the country too. :) Were you born in April? I ask because April is a big month in my family, many people are born in April and it's just as popular for dying in too.


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Yes Linda, I was born in April, a Taurus no less. I never thought. Interesting about the death thing, but, I'm pretty sure every month's a good month for the Grimm Reeper. But sadly my baby sister did die in April. I never thought abought her death in relation to my birth month till this moment. I generally only think of thouse who passed when their own birthday comes. Several of whoms birthdays fall around the holidays. But, I don't use this as an excuse for tequila shots everyday is a good day to get sauced.

For the record I'm kidding about all the over indulgence in alcohol, only such beverage you'll be lucky to find around ny place is what my friends left behind from previous visits.
 
AprilT said:
Yes Linda, I was born in April, a Taurus no less. I never thought. Interesting about the death thing, but, I'm pretty sure every month's a good month for the Grimm Reeper. But sadly my baby sister did die in April. I never thought abought her death in relation to my birth month till this moment. I generally only think of thouse who passed when their own birthday comes. Several of whoms birthdays fall around the holidays. But, I don't use this as an excuse for tequila shots everyday is a good day t
For the record I'm kidding about all the over indulgence in alcohol, only such beverage you'll be lucky to find around ny place is what my friends left behind from previous visits.
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I might feel a bit different about death than a lot of people do, it saddens me but I do believe they go on to a better place and I also believe that people pass when they are meant to. My sister, grandson, mom and my grand-daughter and my grand-daughter's other granny all were born in April. And lots of the immediate family moved on at that month too. Tequila? Since I gave up beer (for the most part) Tequila is my drink of choice. My daughter heard it brings down the blood sugar of a diabetic, she got off her diabetic meds and now my husband uses a sip instead of Metformin it keep his down. I just hope they don't both die of liver disease. Well, I guess death and Tequila aren't upbeat subjects on a thread about being alone on holidays.
 
Hi Carrol! I'm new to this forum too. When I felt that I had been isolated enough, I joined a Petanque club. Petanque is kind of like lawn bowling, and it is played mostly by seniors. If you have one near enough, I would suggest joining in as they usually have activities scheduled during this time of year.
 
Technically I'm not "alone" since I have a roommate, but you might be surprised how I can sink into myself for extended periods.

To me, the commercial holidays are just another day. My roommate, she runs around decorating and cooking up weird food. I sit in front of the computer and play Solitaire.
 
DennisK said:
Hi Carrol! I'm new to this forum too. When I felt that I had been isolated enough, I joined a Petanque club. Petanque is kind of like lawn bowling, and it is played mostly by seniors. If you have one near enough, I would suggest joining in as they usually have activities scheduled during this time of year.
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I love petanque, and I play it a lot when I'm in Spain where it's very popular and free to play in most local parks. There are very few places to play petanque here where I live
 
hollydolly said:
I love petanque, and I play it a lot when I'm in Spain where it's very popular and free to play in most local parks. There are very few places to play petanque here where I live
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I have to drive an hour and a half to get where they play petanque. It is a shame that it isn't more popular. I know it is quite popular in Flanders and of course, France - surprised it isn't as popular in the UK.
 

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