Christmas Alone: 118 Ways to Feeling the Joy!

Many of your friends went home for the Holidays. The city looks alone and so are you. Family members and other people prepare their feasts; your friends are shopping for their significant others. And you? Seeing the grass greener on the other side of the fence. Why don’t you decide to be alone for Christmas, and enjoy the experience?

Before traveling to lonelyland for the Holidays, try these 118 ways:

1. Buy yourself a Christmas present.
2. Can’t do it? then,
3. Don’t buy you a present.
4. Stand up.
5. Be grateful for what you have.
6. Walk around the block without thinking.
7. Walking needs to be done now, though.
8. Do not accept invitations for Christmas from your friends if it sounds pity.
9. View the city from Dolores Park. 30 minutes tops or you may get lonely.
10. Cook your favorite dish for Christmas Eve.
11. Do not eat at a restaurant on Christmas Eve, unless you can handle being alone.
12. Try Pupusas at La Santaneca.
13. What are they? Google it!
14. Champaign, beer, or wine at Trader Joe’s. Nobody beats their prices!
15. Plan to do nothing on Christmas Day.
16. I meant plan it, but do something.
17. If #15 makes you sad, keep reading.
18. Get a mini Christmas tree or a plant.
19. Post  “Enjoy the Holidays!” on Facebook.
20. Fine. Don’t post it.
21. Post it in Spanish. What the heck.
22. Enjoy the responses to your post.
23. Forget about it if you didn’t post.
24. Write Happy Holidays and stick it to the fridge.
25. Make a cheesy list: “Five things I am happy for.”
26. Realize the list is not that cheesy.
27. Another cheesy list? Yes!!
28. Write “Five people I really like.”
29. Get a cheap puzzle.
30. Designate a table to work on it.
31. Open the box.
32. Start putting the puzzle together.
33. Text to no more than 3 friends, inviting them to come over.
34. Do not get attached to them texting you back.
35. Count the number of bars on Valencia Street.
36. Open your windows and feel the fresh air.
37. Call your sister just for a minute.
38. Call your brother and talk about nothing, as usual.
39. Do not take pity comments from anybody.
40. You are a Christmas Orphan.
41. Take a walk at the beach by Crissy Field, barefoot.
42. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge a pie. Shoes on, please.
43. Join the Bridgewatch Angels on Suicide Prevention Christmas Day. Timely.
44. Fill your kitchen in with groceries to be eaten on Christmas Day.
45. Block “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
46. That song is for the lonely, remember that.
47. Watch the sunset at Stinson Beach.
48. Dare to do something you are afraid of.
49. Enjoy your freedom, for God’s sake.
50. How is the puzzle going?
51. Volunteer at Glide Memorial.
52. Buy a $7.50 Giant’s for 2015 on Dec 25. It is the last day!
53. Visit Harbin Hot Springs.
54. Never mind, you won’t be alone there.
55. Check the movies at the Roxie.
56. Preppy you. Check them at the Vogue then.
57. Bring a meal to someone living on the streets.
58. Buy a cup of coffee for a so-called homeless.
59. Get a life coach.
60. Get a life.
61. Try Emotional Freedom Technique. EFT is like tapping on an app, but on your face.
62. Start working on your taxes.
63. That means, where are all your receipts?
64. Check your stats on Hinge or Tinder.
65. Be an adult and have sexy fling.
66. Get an energy-cleansing session by phone or Skype.
67. Send just one Merry Christmas card.
68. That means you’ve got mailing stamps already, right?
69. Make a wish list for 2015.
70. Write 5 goals for a lifetime.
71. Get rid of some coats and jackets on your closet.
72. Give them to someone in need.
73. Go for a jog or a run.
74. Go cycling.
75. Never mind #73 and #74 is cliche.
76. Wear a Santa hat while on Lyft.
77. Hug a tree.
78. Just do it. It is In. Come on. You’ll get lonely if you don’t.
79. Visit Union Square.
80. Do not feel sorry for yourself while looking at the Christmas tree on Union Square.
81. Do not drink yourself to sleep on Christmas Eve.
82. Cry yourself to sleep on Christmas Eve.
83. Get out of bed at 5am on Christmas Day.
84. Hike up Bernal Hill. That early.
85. Stay in bed late on Christmas Day.
86. Watch A Christmas Story. Or Portlandia. Or anything.
87. See Jewish comedians performing at a chinese restaurant.
88. Feel empowered for being alone. Oohh. That is so cute!
89. Go to Irving St. or Clement Street and try anything Asian.
90. Tacos are not allowed for Christmas. Try Pozole.
91. Take Bart to Embarcadero.
92. Check the clock at the tower. Yes, that one at the end of Market St.
93. What time is it? Compare it with your clock.
94. Dumb. Yes. It is an activity though.
95. Take a picture of someone waving for a taxi. Vintage.
96. Take a picture of someone waiting for Uber. Classic.
97. Go to Audium on Bush St., the show is Friday at 8:30pm.
98. Audium is not on Christmas day, but it still applies.
99. Damn it, just do it! You’ll like it.
100. Do not feel sorry for being alone this Christmas.
101. How is that puzzle going?
102. Check CheapfunSF.org – Great Stuff!
103. Read the newspaper. Seriously?
104. Get new passwords for all your sites and apps.
105. Attend a Latin Mass in North Beach.
106. Go to the Community Free Day at the Contemporary Jewish Museum.
107. Have a Christmas-Orphan party at your place.
108. That defeats the purpose, though.
109. A little voice telling you “go to your friends’ for Christmas?  Don’t. When you come back home, you’ll be alone.
110. Embrace the “Alone-ness” instead of putting up with loneliness.
111. Feel and wear the “I am fine while alone for the Holidays” face.
112. Take no pity nor condescending, patronizing comments from no one.
113. Do not over-explain your situation. You are alone and that is okay.
114. It not just okay. It can be great!
115. Or, be with people for Christmas. You may still feel alone.
116. Don’t find yourself feeling alone for Christmas!
117. Enjoy feeling alone for Christmas!
118. How is that puzzle going?