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festive spirit
Festive

75 Fun Ways To Get Into The Festive Spirit When You’re Alone At Christmas Time

Spending Christmas on your own doesn’t have to be lonely—it can be liberating and magical. As someone who’s spent several holidays alone, including many overseas as a British expat in Canada, I’ve learned how to create joy during the festive season on my terms. Whether you’re staying in or exploring a new city, these 75 ideas will help you embrace the holiday spirit, rediscover your traditions, and make this season truly memorable.

Let’s dive into ways to make this Christmas your best one yet. Whether you will be spending Christmas all alone or surrounded by family members, here are 75 ways to get into the festive spirit.

Make Your Home Festive

As you spend so much time at home, making it feel cozy and festive is an easy way to start beating any bah-humbug blues. Here are a few easy, low-cost ways to make your home look and feel Christmassy.

  1. Decorate your Christmas tree
  2. Put Christmas decorations up
  3. Put a wreath on the front door
  4. Put out lots of fairy lights
  5. Put stockings out
  6. Switch out regular cushions for festive cushions
  7. Use festive blankets
  8. Get a Poinsettia
  9. Put your plants and flowers in festive pots
  10. Elf on the shelf
  11. Festive scented candles or oils
  12. Use a Christmas mug (mine says Happy Holidays)
  13. Put Christmas or winter-themed pictures up
  14. Add some sparkle and glitz

Enjoy Festive Fun

One of my go-to ways to get into the festive spirit is to do activities like watching Christmas movies and going to see light displays. Here are a few ideas of fun things to do to get you started.

  1. Watch Christmas movies
  2. Play Christmas music
  3. Read a Christmas rom-com
  4. Visit nice hotels to see their festive displays
  5. Play festive games 
  6. Go and see Christmas light displays
  7. Attend Christmas parties
  8. Explore Christmas Markets 
  9. Go to the cinema
  10. Get outside and go on a winter walk
  11. Visit local tourist attractions over the holidays
  12. Go to local festive events
  13. Take a festive vacation

Treat Yourself To Festive Food & Drink

Is it even Christmas if you don’t eat and drink lots of festive food that you can’t get at any other time of year? It’s OK to treat yourself over the holidays. Here are a few ways to get into the festive spirit with yummy treats.

  1. Countdown with a chocolate advent calendar
  2. Bake Christmas Cookies
  3. Eat Festive Treats
  4. Make a Christmas cocktail
  5. Make hot chocolate bombs with festive moulds
  6. Drink a Festive Drink (or 3!)
  7. Make a gingerbread house
  8. Enjoy a festive happy hour
  9. Bake a Christmas cake
  10. Have a festive cocktail in a nice bar
  11. Decorate Christmas cookies
  12. Go on a festive pub crawl
  13. Go out for dinner

Do Creative Activities

Creativity is great for your emotional and mental well-being. If you are feeling low over Christmas or want things to do to stay busy, there are a lot of creative activities you could do. Here are some fun ways to get into the festive spirit in creative ways.

  1. Participate in Blogmas
  2. Make Digital Christmas Cards on Canva
  3. Give homemade Christmas presents
  4. Make Christmas Decorations
  5. Do festive adult color-by-numbers on your devices (Happy Color is the app I use)
  6. Sew a Christmas cross-stitch
  7. Make a Christmas Wreath
  8. Do a diamond art kit
  9. Paint a festive picture
  10. Create Christmas-themed social media content
  11. Make a Christmas mood board on Canva
  12. Adult color-by-numbers book
  13. Complete a festive jigsaw puzzle

Beauty & Clothing

Prioritize your self-care, and feel more festive with some pampering and festive clothing over the holidays. Here are a few low-cost ideas to get you started.

  1. Use a festive-scented shower gel or bath bomb
  2. Paint your nails a festive color
  3. Wear festive socks
  4. Use a festive-scented hand cream
  5. Enjoy an at-home spa day
  6. Wear festive pajamas
  7. Use a festive-scented body lotion
  8. Wear a Christmas jumper
  9. Use a festive hot water bottle
  10. Enjoy a long hot bath
cozy gift ideas

Experience The Gift of Giving

No list of ways to get into the festive spirit would be complete without a few ideas for gift-giving.

  1. Do Some Christmas Shopping Online
  2. Buy gifts from small businesses
  3. Donate presents to a local charity
  4. Buy Yourself A Christmas Treat (or 2)
  5. Write Christmas Cards
  6. Wrap Christmas Presents
  7. Donate to a local charity
  8. Volunteer over Christmas
  9. Participate in a Secret Santa
  10. Support local small businesses on social media
  11. Read, comment on, and share festive blog posts
  12. Make a Christmas stocking for your pet/s

…and there you have 75 ways to get into the festive spirit. Most of these activities I do every year to lift my mood and feel festive. How about you, what do you like to do to get into a festive mood? Are your favorite festive activities on this list?

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Gemma Lawrence is a British expat, solo female travel blogger, and the creator of This Brit’s Life — a travel and lifestyle blog that helps women explore the world confidently, live abroad independently, and stay informed about global issues.
Born and raised in England, Gemma has been living in British Columbia, Canada since 2016 and has been traveling solo for over a decade. With a background in journalism and over ten years of experience in digital marketing and communications — including leadership roles with the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC/BC) — she brings both storytelling and strategy to her writing.
Through her posts, Gemma shares practical solo travel advice, expat insights, and confidence-building resources, while also covering broader topics like women’s rights, democracy, and self-care. Her goal is to inspire independence, awareness, and personal growth — one adventure at a time

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2 Comments

  1. Hello from Kitchener, Ontario! I have hated hearing “Christmas is cancelled this year”. It’s not cancelled. It’s just different. This is a fantastic list of ideas to get in the Christmas spirit. Merry Christmas to you!

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