Any alternative ways of celebrating Christmas as a single person in the big city?

Question

Going home for the holidays, going to church, and visiting my friends' families are not options for me. My family of origin is very unhealthy. While I am on a spiritual path, I no longer believe in organized religion or the institutional church.

Yet, I do still love Christmas. It is a truly holy day, a spiritual day, for me--honoring the birth of Jesus (Y'shua) the Christ. Yeah, yeah, I know that Dec. 25 is prob. not the day He was actually born. Nevertheless this is the day most of us celebrate His holy birth, and the birth of all he represents: love, light, peace, liberation, goodwill toward all human kind.

I perform the next day, so I will be with friends then. What can I do on Christmas Day--to honor the day and to keep the holiday blues at bay?

For ex., for Thanksgiving I am going to Ithaca, NY (very cool) for a much needed mini-vacation in beautiful upstate NY with a friend fr. India who is also on his own for the holidays.

Thank you for the great suggestions, so far. Excellent ideas.

But, ev., please refrain fr. preaching, proselytizing, or making assumptions ab. my faith. It is precisely bec. I do not intend to indulge in "self-pity" that I posted this question. Also, since, as I have said, I am on a spiritual path, on largely a daily basis I practice quiet contemplation, reading, prayer, and meditation. This is how I have spent most of my Christmas days in the past. This will likely be a part of my day. I am looking for alternatives. TY

Hey, Joe. Hey, beautiful people, I must repeat: I do not go to church. Let us respect each other's religious/spiritual differences. Again, I am looking for meaningful alternatives, as one who is interested in living her faith. TY

Beautiful, thoughtful Y/A friends, TY so much for all the great suggestions. But now I am wondering why some people mistakenly believe that a person who does not go to church has cut him/herself off from God. Wow. Never, ever, never. Not me anyway. God and I are doing just fine, TY very much. Care to shed some light on the dif. between spirituality and organized religion? Esp. regarding the holidays?

Answer 1

I would go to Rockefeller Center and see the huge Christmas tree there! :-) I would love to go to NY for Christmas one year. When my son gets a bit older, I would love to take him and let him see a NY Christmas. I would also go ice skating, take a walk in the park with some hot cocoa. May be even volunteer at a homeless shelter to help serve food to them. :-) I love candles, so I would put a few out to create the aroma of homemade pies etc. and watch a movie. I saw this one movie last year with Susan Surrandon in it, it was called, NOEL. It was a beautiful movie. And it was a Christmas movie. I have it now, so I'll be watching that one again this year.
I saw Home Alone 2 and they have a toy store there in NY called Duncan's Toy Chest. Is that toy store a real one over there? Do you know? I would love to take my son there in a few years during Christmas. He would surely enjoy it.
I hope I've suggested some things that might interest you. Those are the things I would do, and there is probably much more over there than I know. Ohhhh yeah..I would take a sleigh ride too! That would be so much fun!

Answer 2

Try volunteering for a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. I bet that they are understaffed on that particular day, and nothing makes you get over your own self-pity faster than helping someone less fortunate than yourself.

If you cannot find a place to volunteer for, make some sandwiches or other healthy treats, and head downtown and hand out free food to the homeless yourself (sugar free food that is easy to chew -- they have no dental plan and many have no teeth). Wish them a merry Christmas!

You can also spend the day in fasting and quiet reflection. Quiet contemplation is one of the more neglected forms of prayer in the modern world, and I think that our spirituality suffers as a result.


====edit===

I haven't made any assumptions about YOU, it is the other way around. You have assumed too much about me.

I mentioned "self-pity" because you said "holiday blues". Your words, not mine.You seem judgmental and self-righteous.

Speaking of organized religion, you do realize that the New Testament said that were were to associate with other believers, even though they are sinful and imperfect?

Stop making assumptions about my advice, please.

--------------
from "Grace—That's So Sick"
by Mark Galli

...My being a Christian means I am a member of a brotherhood of sinners, some of the most embarrassing sort. Even worse, to be a Christian is to acknowledge that I have been, at heart, a televangelist, a crusader, a sheltered, judgmental, proselytizing hypocrite.

I do not mean to suggest that we should be indifferent to such sins. If books and conversations like the ones I've experienced prod Christians to change their ways, it will be all to the good. But the church is always in need of reform, and its behavior will always be a scandal to anyone with moral sensibilities.

When we invite people to follow Jesus, we're inviting them into the desperately sinful church that Jesus, for some odd reason, loves. To be a Christian—or whatever term you'd prefer—is to identify not just with Jesus or with the healthy church of our imagination, but also with the tragically dysfunctional church, which is mercifully embraced, if not by us, then certainly by the One who was a scandal in his own day.

Answer 3

I have found it very satisfying to spend a holiday like Christmas at a Senior Citizen building helping with the dinner for residents who don't have family or just eating with them and socializing. They always have some great stories to tell.

I also used to take my daughter to the shelters or to a church feeding the homeless for the holidays when she was little just to teach her how to give back to those less fortunate, right before going to our family dinner. It really made a difference because when she was a college student; she used to organize those same type of activities with her friends.

Answer 4

I would make your friends children a little happier. Stop off at several friends houses and deliver cookies you baked just for the kids. The smile you receive will melt your heart.

Again stand outside a shelter and do the same thing. I shows you care a tiny bit more when you give something that came from your heart.

Answer 5

Going to church and praise God together with other worshipers, visiting friends and loved ones. In fact, staying with real friends, chatting, visiting a new state, place, etc. having a nice time together in a nice place of interest. Thereafter, you retire back home to plan ahead for the new year. Have a nice celebration in advance.

Answer 6

If you want to do something unique and uplifting for yourself and others, go to a homeless shelter and help serve meals and spend some time talking with the residence.

Jesus will be there serving them to, so why not join him.

Spend your day helping others and giving of yourself.


Cheers.