Beating Homesickness at Christmas

If like me you have travelled from the other side of the world to be here, going home for Christmas unfortunately isn’t an option. It is a hard time for anyone to be away from family and the traditions that you’re used to over Christmas so here is our top ideas to get you through the festive season in the UK.

1. Spend Christmas with your new family

When you’re here in the UK you will often find that you are surrounded by other expats who will also lonely over Christmas. Your friends here are now your family so embrace them, if you are having an orphans Christmas dinner it’s a fun idea to all bring something that you normally have at your Christmas dinner back home.Spend Christmas with your new family.

2. Keep busy

There are so many fun festive things that you can do here to keep yourself busy and feeling the Christmas spirit. Here are a few of our favourites

3. Don’t forget where you’re from

Although you may want to ignore your feelings of homesickness and try to ignore it, don’t! Embrace it! Remember that your family and friends will be missing you just as you are missing them. Book in skype dates or phone calls leading up to or even on Christmas day so that you don’t feel left out and the people back home don’t think you have run away to forget them all.

4. Go somewhere

If like me Christmas is usually in the summer time London can seem very odd. It is not the usual warm, sunny weather we’re used to but it is also not the snowy white Christmas we see in the movies. So if you have to be away from home anyway why not have a think about exploring further afield and enjoying a white Christmas,eating some amazing food and strolling around some Christmas markets.

5. Be the Grinch

If the first 4 options don’t appeal to you, just pretend it isn’t happening at all. Though this is a sad and rather tricky option, Christmas (at least the music) isn’t for everyone.

No matter what you decide to do we hope you enjoy it and remember to give back this Christmas.

For more in our blog series click here

For more ideas about what to do to survive winter in London click here

Scroll to Top