I am alone at Christmas and I think no one cares, then what?

Question

that was part of one of the answers that I got for another question, "no one cares", I told them I do I care, but I am going to be alone on Christmas and no one really cares, no big dinner, no big presents, no decorations, what do you do for me what do you say? How are you going to find me if I live right in your own neighborhood, what if this internet is the only way I have to reach out to the world? Then what?

What if it is not about material things? What if it is that one is poor or stranded and may even have no family to call their own? One is correct to say that being alone is not always the worst thing, and that our cyber friends are important to us. It is also bad when those cyber friends are the only ones we have, but is that a result of technology I was noticing a story on yahoo about a virtual family where one could have other people up on a screen, I am wondering if that is really the best way for our society to be? If not walking out our front doors and meeting others might be a really great answer. So these are mostly all great answers and it is going to be hard to pick one of them over the others. I will probably be on here at least a little bit too so if anyone wants to give me a shake out here feel free too and keep giving up your answers remember it is two points for you, what those two points are really worth I am not sure, but it is fun and nice to read the new answers

Christmas is very special to me because of my own story, which I won't tell, suffice to say my Joseph never came, and when they did they were always wrong somehow so I choose not to accept them. Does that answer why Christmas may be meaningful to me? I can only say the angels were correct, and that without a few angels in my own life I couldn't have made it through. And that things that are suppose to be a cursed things can sometimes be some of the biggest blessings we may have. If we choose to appreciate them.

At the end of their lives my mom and dad made a conscious choice to spend New Years eve alone, and we always had christmas and thanksgiving some place so we could all be together that was their tradition. They are both gone now and I miss them.

Answer 1

Why is Christmas special to you?

Answer 2

If no one cares, then take it upon yourself to do the caring. Get off the Internet and go help serve Christmas dinner at a homeless shelter. If you don't have a homeless shelter close by, then go to a nursing home and sit and visit with someone who is alone Christmas Day. If you can't handle a nursing home, go to an assisted living. Put on a Santa hat and take a gift with you......such a a throw blanket, or a Christmas decoration. Or just take a Reader's Digest and read some stories to them. Ask them about their families, their life, their marriage, their children, where they lived, what they did. If they have difficulty talking, you do the talking. Tell them about your life...........the positive things, of course. You don't need to depress them with your "no one cares" thing.

Show others that you care, and you will find that they care. :)

Answer 3

Then you are assuming that Christmas should be about material items. And, so it has been and will continue to be. But, you don't have to live like that. You, as an individual can take it upon yourself to make it a time of the spirit. Go feed the hungry, bring blankets to the homeless, focus on giving to others out of love. Then you don't have to live through the internet, you can touch the world w/ your own hands, then you can show you care, and meet others who care.

Ryan

Answer 4

Then reach out. Go out and have a look at all the charities going on. I have heard that people give more in the US than in Canada. I guess that's because there are more working poor there to understand each other. The material beauty of Christmas past is not all there is. Not all people fear all people.

Answer 5

The internet is the only way to reach out to the world? How about stepping out your front door. If you are alone, it's because you choose to be. You can find things to do that involve real face-to-face time with other people like volunteering to spend time with others who feel the same way at shelters, retirement homes, etc.

Answer 6

I was feeling like that last Christmas, I did lots of reading and got caught up on my rest. I went out with friends but came home to my four walls, surfed the web and I met some friends on the internet.

Have a girls night out during the holidays, go to a Spa and pamper yourself. There is lots of lonely people on the internet at that time also.

Answer 7

Spending Christmas alone: I have done this for years, and I feel like I am in good company. It does hurt that my blood family ignores me and doesn't seem to even recognize my existence, but I prepare as well as I can for the day and a half of "shut down". What works the best for me is to make it as "normal" a day as possible. Getting into Christmas songs and stories on TV just makes me sad for what I once had and lost.

Here are a few things I have done Christmas-es past and then this year:

I found a group of disadvantaged kids that were having a big party thrown for them, and I did face-painting with them.

I drove my cat to an animal rescue group, where the caretaker was herself alone for the holiday, and while my cat hung out in the car (he liked the ride),I went in and gave her a hand.

Although not Catholic, a co-worker invited me to go to church with her, and I did so for the experience. I would consider exploring another church, both for the sense of community and for the experience. Churches are definitely open on Christmas Day. Also check out your local Jewish Community Center. Ours holds activities all day long: "When the world shuts down", the Jewish Community Center opens its doors.

I went to an Alkathon meeting one year. Although not suffering from alcoholism myself, I have been to other 12-step meetings, and here were a group of people who really understand the stresses of being alone for the holidays. (An Alkathon is usually held in a church basement where you gather for food and community, usually available 24/7 for Christmas Eve and Day.)

I took a really really long hike and communed with nature.

This year I put out an ad that I was looking for a holiday student assistant who could help me with my small self-employment business (did that through craigslist.org). I did get one response and hope that I can just make it a normal business day, to take the stress off other days ahead. I also do have the opportunity late Christmas night to go to a Chinese restaurant (Chinese restaurants stay open Christmas Day), complete with piano bar, to celebrate with my best friend. It may or may not happen, because he is with family, and sometimes can't break away, but something to at least look forward to....if not that night, then another.

Last but not least, there is a wonderful new movie just opening on Christmas Day: Dreamgirls. It should be bright and uplifting, just what I need when I'm alone. Have also considered going to that and being in the company of other moviegoers. Oh, have just found another inspirational movie, the new one with Will Smith and son.

Additional things I am doing for this Christmas alone:

I put out birdseed for the birds so that they will come and celebrate with me. This was easy to do and gave me great delight; I plan to open my window a bit so their song will greet me in the morning.

I see it as a good opportunity to get caught up with laundry.

I came here on the internet both for business and pleasure.

And I take delight in the fact that we are past the shortest day of the year and soon the gift of light will return to us in greater and greater doses. For me, that's one of the best gifts in the world.

Answer 8

Well if the internet is your only window to the world around you, I say surround yourself with your cyber friends. And if they aren't online at Christmas, leave horribly rude emails and IMs about why they should be online with you instead of their families. Holidays are a bunch of crap anyway. Bah Humbug!

Answer 9

I'm spending this Christmas alone. I have spent several Christmases alone, and none of them were the worst Christmases I've had.
The reason, they're peaceful.

Answer 10

I feel for you. Really, I do. It's hard to be alone, especially at this time of the year.

If nothing else, there are those of us in cyberspace that are reaching out to you.

Merry Christmas
and Blessed be.

Answer 11

Always remember this little prayer. "Lord, give me courage to change the things I can. The patience to accept what I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference."
Surely, you are wise enough to know the difference?