Mastodawn

Having a delightful solo Christmas Eve with Pippi & Obi, smiling listening to them yelp, growl, snore, and run in their dreams as I simultaneously listen to the sounds of a crackling fire on a device hidden behind my faux fireplace, sipping a delicious Cava Brut.

I'm atheist, & altho I've no family here, I've a wealth of friends where I live currently. I relish them honoring my wish & joy at being cozy alone at home tonight. Alone for me isn't lonely, but if you are, #joinin. We're here! ❤️🎄

JohnW Dec 25, 2022

@TinCanWin Welcome to the solo Christmas! My immediate family has passed, and my extended family is 2000 mi away in New York.

So I'm just hanging out. Geeking out on a project, writing a blog post. Stuff I normally do. I'm just fine with that.

Merry Christmas you all!

#JoinIn #SoloChristmas

French TexPat Dec 25, 2022

@the_Effekt All of my immediate family has passed too, so I'm in a similar situation with a lot of extended family but they are all In the Southeast. Hoping you are staying warm! Cheers!

JohnW Dec 25, 2022

@TinCanWin Thanks. Warm night in the Rockies. I'm on the west slope in Ouray. (Arctic storm missed us). It's 32° here right now.

BlackDutchSnark Dec 25, 2022

@TinCanWin @the_Effekt We had our family Christmas Eve stuff this afternoon…I’m so glad it’s over. Just chilling, drinking some wine and snuggling with my cat and listening to true crime #MorbidPodcast
#joinin

JohnW Dec 25, 2022

@johnettesnuggs @TinCanWin Beer is on the menu for me very soon.

My family was very dysfunctional, and I was the black sheep, so all holidays were tense.

I really miss the times we went to New York though. My extended Fam is great and we'd have huge parties in one of the coolest houses overlooking the Mohonk Mountains in central NY.

meganisalanis Dec 25, 2022

@the_Effekt Meri Kirihimete from New Zealand, it's a balmy 24°C, we have eaten our main course about an hour and a half after it was planned and we're up to 'sit back and read for a bit before contemplating dessert 🎄🤩
#JoinIn #MeriKirihimete #MerryChristmas

My first time being the host, as relaxed as I could make it ❤️

French TexPat Dec 25, 2022

@meganisalanis @the_Effekt i spent two weeks on the South Island trekking over Christmas and New Years a decade ago, spending NYE in a sheep shearing cabin looking out at Aoraki. Best holiday ever. Learned about slurping spiked hot cocoa through Tim Tams 🥰

meganisalanis Dec 25, 2022

@TinCanWin @the_Effekt. Ahh, definitely a special trick to master 😁😂

I am sure you have many other great memories from your treck. 🤩

French TexPat Dec 25, 2022

@meganisalanis @the_Effekt It was incredible. Your country is my fave.

BlackDutchSnark Dec 25, 2022

@the_Effekt @TinCanWin
Our family was very dysfunctional, as well. My older brother is schizophrenic and a lot of his episodes came around the holidays…Depression runs in the family and my parents provided food, shelter and clothing, but not much emotional love or support. They were just trying to keep it together. Nothing says Happy Holidays like seeing your brother being wrestled into a police car on the way to a hospital. I really hate Christmas, honestly.

JohnW Dec 25, 2022

@johnettesnuggs @TinCanWin You're definitely not alone in that. The last few years of family Christmas was more of a slog than a celebration. I deal with depression too, but luckily it's mild.

I don't want to crash the holidays for anyone else though, so I'll limit it to just this reply.

I've gotten pretty ok with just rolling through the holidays like they're any other day.

BlackDutchSnark Dec 25, 2022

@the_Effekt @TinCanWin I try to do the same. Especially since my kids are grown and parents are gone. My husband tries to make me be happy though, so I have to fake it for him. He doesn’t get it. His family was pretty normal.

Kaylee Dec 25, 2022

@johnettesnuggs @TinCanWin @the_Effekt

Nothing says cozy Christmas like True Crime! (At least for me too!)

BlackDutchSnark Dec 25, 2022

@kaylee @TinCanWin @the_Effekt 💯

Julia Dec 25, 2022

@johnettesnuggs @TinCanWin @the_Effekt I love posts like this where people are proud to have worked out what makes them happy and do it unapologetically no matter what others might think. A very merry Christmas to you and yours, especially the cat 😊. You prove Christmas is what you make it.