Senior Living: Alone on Christmas Day

Q. I’m spending Christmas Day home alone. I hadn’t planned it that way, but my family is sick and I don’t want to be around them for fear I will get sick too. Can you recommend some cheery things to do?

I know it is difficult to spend a day alone when you had planned to celebrate with family and friends, so here are a few suggestions.

•Put on some Christmas music.

•Turn on the TV — there will be a multitude of Christmas programs and movies to choose from.

•Light some candles.

•If you have a fireplace, sit by the fire sipping egg nog or hot chocolate.

•Bake something yummy to eat. If you don’t want to fuss with cooking from scratch, the markets now carry all sorts of dishes already prepared that you can just heat up. You can buy cookie dough already made. You just bake it and get the wonderful aroma of baking cookies, as well as the “fresh-from-the-oven” taste.

•Reminisce by looking at old scrapbooks.

•Go to the movies — you’ll be surprised at how many people will be there.

•Call your family or friends; they’re probably missing the usual celebration too.

NANCY TURNEY received a bachelor’s degree in social work and a certificate in gerontology. If you have a specific question you would like answered in this column, e-mail it to lcnews@valleysun.net or call Turney at the Crescenta-Cañada YMCA, (818) 790-0123, ext. 225.