Christmas away from home? Make it worthwhile

Although this situation results in nostalgia for some people, it does not have to be as hectic as it sounds. We have got a few tips for you to cope during your Christmas away from home.

Accept reality of the present

You ought to understand that unlike the past times, you will be going solo this Christmas. This acceptance prepares your entire molecular self not to look at the distance away from home as a hindrance, but an experience that you need to explore. Start to think independently and while at it, think of exciting activities and ideas to spice up your day.

Focus on why

Paying more attention to why you are not home for Christmas this time round reminds you that where you currently are is not home, and soon or later you will be back home. This, therefore, pushes you into accomplishing whichever tasks that are keeping you where you are and then leave.

Cynthia Umwiza, a Rwandan spent three years in Kampala, as she pursued her studies in Journalism.

For all these years until 2019, she did not travel back home for Christmas and surely, she did miss the festivities and family back home.

She, however, kept reminding herself that she was here only for a season and soon she would be going back home to be with family and friends.

For Umwiza, the fact that she was only away from home for a season was the motivation she needed to focus on her studies, do better, complete and return home.

Familiar things

Just because you are away from home, does not mean you cannot feel at home. Reciprocating some of the activities you do back home may get you mentally connected with your family virtually. It could be a familiar recipe you may choose to prepare or binging on movies.

It could mean reciprocating a day’s programme like it is done back home.

In 2017, Fred Wabwire, officially left his parents’ home in Busia District, to start life independently in Kampala, after getting a job.

“My first Christmas away from home was in 2017. I was far away in Kampala and my family was in Busia. What I did to feel connected with people back home, was to handle my day’s programme like we did at home. It was church early morning, cooking several recipes and movies later in the day,” he says.

Keep communication flowing

In this day and age, where the world became a global village due to technological advancement, distance is no longer a big issue. This is why you need to keep in close touch with loved ones back home via social media and direct phone calls. In cases where festivities back home involve big family reunions and parties, spare time for a video calls, a live feed on Youtube, before and during the party. Seeing how everything is transpiring at home will get you feeling like you are right there with everyone.

Make new friends

Have you ever met strangers who became friends and later family? Some understand you and are there for you more than real family does. Well, sometimes family is much more relatives.

And having Christmas away from home would be a window of opportunity for you to make new friends.

These can be natives or newcomers in the area, who you could join forces with for a Christmas meal and celebration.

While at it, since you are all from different settings, tell stories of what other people do on Christmas, as cultural exchange.

The new friendships might become a new family and who knows, these networks can be beneficial to you in future. Being with other people makes you have a sense of belonging and saves you the boredom.

Find groups of mutual beliefs

Henry and Clementine Kafeero are a Uganda couple who moved to Tanzania in 2019 after Kafeero secured a big career opportunity there. Clementine says the first years were quite hard for them to cope, not until they found members of the Neocatechumenal Way, an association of the Christian faithful within the Catholic Church that they finally found belonging.

“My husband, a head engineer for a big hotel here, is always occupied at work days during the festive season. Being in a foreign country, this left me lonely on Christmas days, not until we found members of our prayer group that took me in. I always have my Christmas with them and this saved from boredom” Clementine says.

Also, when Daniel Kwizera moved to the US years ago, he found a family to stay with. Things however changed when they all moved for work and reality kicked in.

“It was hard for me to spend Christmas alone in a foreign land. I later connected with some friends whom I share origin with and we celebrate Christmas the way we would celebrate at home” he says.

“We all stay indoors from December 23 – 24, buy each other gifts and have a feast on Christmas,” he adds. If you are away from home, you will feel safe in the company of people of your culture, origin, religion and profession.

Explore the local style

Kwizera, who lived in New York for his second year in the US, reminisces of the beautiful Christmas displays along Fifth Avenue and in Dyker heights as a beautiful experience.

Every place has their own style of celebrations, why not tap into a new style away from the normal?

Finding out how locals celebrate their Christmas will get you into the same spirit.

For those that are staying forever in the new location, it is a idea into what Christmas is and will always be for you and for those going back home, you can carry the new celebration style into your regular Christmas routine.