I'm going to condense the points from this post ( https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-prepare-45081915) about how to prepare for a smaller/more isolated Christmas in a thread for ease/so people can add their own suggestions.

1. Plan the day hour to hour or activity to activity. Line up episodes of your favourite show, arrange calls with mates, bake something. You can make changes as you go but waking up with an unplanned day stretching out in front of you is likely to be very depressing and daunting.

2. Give yourself permission not to have a good day. Allow yourself a really crappy day, in fact. You may surprise yourself by having an OK day, but no pressure. It’s not a magical, untouchable day that must be honoured by your joy. It’s 1 day in a hard year. It’s allowed to suck.

3. Feel your feelings, whatever they are. Being genuinely mournful is okay. Feeling angry or indifferent or conflicted is just fine. But look after yourself. Try not to send these feelings inward in self-punishment. You aren't ungrateful if you can't muster up much festive cheer.

4) Make a plan for social media. People will be with family & groups & it may be hard to see. If so: use your phone for texting mates, video-chatting, playing music and playing games instead. Try to avoid long stretches of miserably scrolling your timelines in bed or on the sofa.

5) Be alone with other people. Use your social media for good & document your less than normal day for other solo-celebrators. See which of your mates are doing the same & make a group chat to keep one another’s spirits up.

6. Join in with strangers having Christmas alone. Chat, share your own experience or just read what other people are doing. Very lovely way to be a part of something & to feel less lonely. https://twitter.com/SarahMillican75/status/1330841523940888577?s=20

7. Remember that nobody is going to have a great Xmas. Everyone's missing someone or something, even if the posts suggest otherwise. We're all grieving the lives lost, the plans we never got to actualise. 2020 has been brutal. The day will be strange & stressful & sad for us all.

8. Be mindful of drinking. When you’re alone things can go from “fun/buzzy” to “weepy/awful” v fast. If alcohol can be a trigger, have non-alcoholic options on deck. Let the booze be a treat instead of a quick escape. Have some mimosas or a favourite cocktail. Enjoy every sip.

9. Make the day as indulgent, pleasurable & peaceful as possible. If there's a film/show/book/game you're really excited to start, save it for the 25th. Buy a fun face mask, a new set of PJs, all of your favourite foods.

10. Remind yourself that it’s just 1 day. 24hrs can feel like a lifetime when things are hard, but it’s temporary: a handful of waking hours to fill by keeping fed, watered, entertained, safee. And after you can go to bed in the knowledge that this odd Xmas is over for good.

11. Let Christmas 2020 mean something new, something about endurance/hope/self-protection. This year has involved a lot of reinventing, & it's okay to temporarily adjust the meaning of this day. We'll be together soon, so look after yourself with loving kindness until then.

12. This tweet just reminded me of the perspective/pain shifting power of helping others. I've seen offers to deliver dinners to people whose relatives are stuck outside tier 4, neighbours checking in etc. What else? https://twitter.com/robdelaney/status/1340411131572219904?s=20