10 tips for solo holiday celebrations

Celebrating Christmas with your loved ones may be number 1 on your Christmas wish list but if circumstances are such that you won't make it home for the holidays, there's no need to feel hum drum and lonely. So grab your eggnog, curl up next to your computer screen and read on for tips on how to have yourself a merry little Christmas after all.

1. Plan your holiday
Courtney Sidenberg, a social worker who runs a private practice in Toronto, recommends mentally preparing your itinerary so you don't become bored and lonely. She also suggests finding comfort in knowing that you're not the only one spending the holidays alone. "I think people assume that everyone's busy, everyone's got family, and that's not necessarily the case."

Be prepared to fill your time with activities that you love, be it calling, e-mailing or visiting a friend, going for a walk or pursuing a hobby. Take this time to catch up on your "to do" list or to start a new project.

2. Reinvent your holiday
Whether you're newly divorced, a cash-strapped student, working or serving overseas, you may have to break away from tradition and celebrate a different kind of Christmas this year. This could mean going on a singles vacation or accepting an invitation from your next-door neighbour.

3. Spoil yourself
The positive spin to being alone is that your time is totally devoted to Yours Truly. What could be better than a bit of pampering at your ideal spa, renting your favourite Christmas classic, or baking cookies to share with your colleagues?

4. Trim the tree
"Resist the temptation to just throw the holiday away," says Sidenberg. Do something to acknowledge the holiday, whether it's baking, hanging decorations or displaying cards. You and visiting guests will appreciate the effort. And, besides, it's fun!

5. Attend holiday arts and cultural events
Celebrate the holidays by taking in some cultural festivities. Many events are free, such as church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, church recitals and choirs, and student concerts held at universities. Check your community listings for plays and musicals, art gallery and museum exhibits and ballet performances. Heritage homes, such as Toronto's Colborne Lodge and Vancouver's Roedde House Museum are usually decorated for Christmas and guests are invited to experience the days of Christmas past.