How to Avoid Being Alone During the Holidays

For many people, Thanksgiving, even more than Christmas, is a time to share with others. Read on for ways to share the holiday spirit.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flowers
• Stuffings
• Turkeys
• Airline Tickets
• Travel Services
• Toys

1. Gather other holiday "orphans" from your office, apartment building, church or synagogue, and stage your own dinner.

2. Volunteer to spend the day at a hospice, children's hospital or nursing home.

3. Sign on at a local soup kitchen or with a meal-delivery service such as Meals on Wheels or Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly.

4. Enlist in the Holiday Project, a group active in some 25 cities that visits people spending holidays alone in hospitals, nursing homes and prisons.

5. Treat yourself to a vacation, with Thanksgiving Day tucked into the middle.

6. Be brazen. Call a friend whose family you enjoy and announce that you'll be alone. You're almost sure to land an invitation to dinner. If you don't, try another friend.

Tips & Warnings

• Cooking and delivering meals on Thanksgiving Day, and many other holidays, has become such a popular pastime that if you show up at headquarters unannounced, you might even be turned away. But the rest of the year - even the rest of a holiday week - organizations are hard-pressed to find volunteers. If you can spare the time then, you'll be welcomed with open arms, and you'll still be extending the true spirit of Thanksgiving.
• If you're heading out of town, remember that Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest travel time of the year. Make arrangements far in advance, and to ease your stress level, try to leave by Monday of Thanksgiving week and return after the following Monday.

[econ476]

on 12/4/2008 Good tips. Being alone is not usually a choice.

[Sondrac]

on 8/5/2008 And what if you have no friends nearby, and family is busy working or doing their own thing? There have been many times I have been alone for the holidays..me and my cat. Good advice.thanks

[psaysofavril]

on 12/19/2007 That is so true. During the holidays, people tend to be in a more giving and generous mood. If friends or acquaintances find out you will be alone for the holiday they will most likely invite you to celebrate with them.

on 4/4/2006 Don't just come out and say "I'm going to be alone on *insert holiday here*." Work it into the conversation. After talking for about 10 minutes, ask what the other person is doing for the holiday. They may ask you next, but if they don't, casually say "Oh, I'm going to be alone." This method will probably land you an invite with most people.