As Christmas draws nearer, for those who can’t make it home to their biological families, their chosen ones take its place. With Friendsgiving having taken over millennial culture, is “Friend-mas” the next trend to take us all by storm?
Traditionally Christmas has been about spending time with your family, which is why the thought of spending this holiday without them can feel particularly odd and somewhat emotional. Christmas is a time that we aim to spend surrounded by loved ones but that doesn’t exclusively apply to family.
You might be on a year abroad, or simply decided to up and move to Australia. Either way, the Christmas period doesn’t have to be doom and gloom if you can’t be with your family. The beauty of a Friend-mas is that you can start afresh with new traditions – scrap the disgusting Christmas pudding that inevitably ends up in the centre of the table despite everyone hating it and replace it with something people actually want.
Rather than having to buy every person around the table a present whilst watching your bank account slowly dissipate, popular is Secret Santa. This way, everyone gets a gift they might actually like rather than some random trinkets that cost you £3. Cute as they may be.
If you have to be apart from your family, there are plenty of options to make you feel more connected. In terms of keeping us better connected, technology works an absolute treat. Any kind of video messenger can help bring a little bit of your family’s Christmas cheer to wherever you are in the world. Even something as simple as a video of your Mum’s familiar (and perfectly crafted) Christmas dinner or a voice message of your siblings nailing a rendition of Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You – moments like these are the ones we treasure most and so if you don’t have to miss out on them, then you shouldn’t!
So-called unorthodox Christmases are more common than you’d imagine. Friends become the people you go to for absolutely anything and everything; financial woes, relationship struggles and everyday trivial drama. Such Christmases are becoming more popular as singletons club together to celebrate, couples triple date and friends that are all far from home join forces to get festive.
Having to be without your biological family doesn’t mean that Christmas can’t be merry and bright (pun well and truly intended). Tis the season to be jolly, and what’s more jolly than being surrounded by friends who you spend every day with already? Aldi mulled wine, a half-broken fake tree and a room full of your best pals? It doesn’t get better than that.
Image: Allagash Brewing via Flickr