How To Have A Merry Christmas For Two

Quick – think about some of your favorite Christmas-related memories and traditions growing up. Maybe your favorite part was the excitement of waking up on Christmas morning and opening presents as a family. Or maybe you always looked forward to the family dinner that night and your mom’s famous mashed potatoes. Or maybe what you enjoyed more than anything else was getting the opportunity to reunite with your extended family members.

Perhaps your story is different. Maybe your family didn’t have traditions that left a lasting, positive effect on you. Maybe Christmas doesn’t exactly bring up cozy memories of being surrounded by your loved ones. Maybe you can’t remember a time when it actually did feel like the most wonderful time of the year.

Either way, there’s no doubt about it – the word “Christmas” is tightly knit with the word “family.” Christmas movies typically focus on a family coming together. Christmas songs often center around the love we feel from the people around us. Christmas commercials call our attention to the potential gifts we might splurge on for our family members. And December is among the busiest months for airports, with floods of people from all over the country flying home to spend the holidays with their families, so it’s not surprising that the traditions that immediately come to mind for many of us have to do with being in a house full of people we know and love. 

This year, though, you and your husband won’t be going home to spend Christmas with either family. Whether it’s due to logistical reasons, broken familial relationships, or financial issues, this Christmas, it’ll just be the two of you. And with the strong emphasis on having a big family that seems to be intertwined with the season, you’re wondering if it will be possible for you to still capture the spirit of the season, or if your home will feel empty.

How can you and your husband still have a merry Christmas when all you have is each other to celebrate with? Is it even possible, or is having a big family around a prerequisite for fully enjoying the season?

Go All Out with Decorating

It’s tempting to tell yourself that since you two will be the only ones at home, there’s no point in decorating that much. You can’t help but wonder if it will feel like you’re stringing up lights, putting out hors d'oeuvres, and turning up the music for a party that no one will end up coming to, making you feel even more lonely than before.

But we’re here to tell you: Go all out with decorating. You and your husband, all on your own, are totally worth decorating for. If you don’t have any decorations yet, take the opportunity to organize a fun outing with your husband this weekend, and spend an afternoon each picking out items you’ll be taking home. Whether you head to HomeGoods or a local thrift store, don’t skimp on finding decorations that will make your home feel merry and bright. We promise, a decorated home will minimize any pangs of loneliness that might creep up.

Plan a Christmas Themed Date

There’s nothing like a regular date night to keep you and your husband connected. If you’ve already established a weekly date, you might think you’re already covered in this area. But, rather than going to dinner and a movie again, why not make it so that your next date night is specifically Christmas-themed?

What does a Christmas-themed date night entail, exactly? You could get fancy hot chocolates and go for a walk in the neighborhood and admire the Christmas lights. Or you could head to a Christmas fair and check out the local businesses’ booths. Or you might go to an ice skating rink and grab something to eat after. Or maybe there’s a Christmas concert taking place at a venue a short drive away. Even if it’s on the chillier side outside, you’ll be glad you got out of the house and took advantage of all the season has to offer.

Incorporate Old (or New) Traditions and Activities

Christmastime is heavily focused on yearly traditions, many of which we grew up doing with our family. And without your families present this year, you’ll naturally reflect both on the traditions you loved the most and the ones that never resonated with you.

See this year with your husband as a wonderful opportunity to set the tone for what your Christmases as a married couple will look like. You can feel free to leave behind some old traditions from your families that you don’t desire to pass on, but you can also choose which traditions you’ll both keep alive (and eventually introduce to any future children you might have), whether it’s decorating the tree with A Charlie Brown Christmas playing in the background, going caroling, or sitting outside after dark with hot cocoa to admire your home’s exterior decorations in all their glory. 

And if you don’t have any traditions you want to pass on? It’s time to try on different traditions for size and see what sticks. If you aren’t sure where to begin, you could consider making wreaths together, heading to a Christmas tree farm, building gingerbread houses, reading a classic like A Christmas Carol aloud every evening, or making your own ornaments.

Get Adventurous in the Kitchen

Another wonderful way to get in the mood for Christmas? Through meals and baked goodies, of course. Food can be one of the greatest comforts – not to mention, it offers countless opportunities to establish traditions. You might not have more than two people to feed in the house, but don’t skip out on getting adventurous in the kitchen this Christmas.

Whether you grew up eating snowball cookies every year, or have been looking for an excuse to bake a batch of cinnamon rolls, this is the perfect chance for you to try your hand at making scrumptious holiday treats. And since the two of you won’t be able to polish off a dozen cookies in one sitting, nothing’s stopping you from bringing a plate of cookies over to your neighbor as a kind gesture.

Don’t forget to try your hand at savory dishes too. While your Christmas dinner might be smaller this year, there are plenty of tasty recipes perfectly suited for a table of two, like a slow-cooker pot roast or a glazed bacon-wrapped turkey breast dish. Whatever you decide to make, don’t stress too much about making just enough for you to eat that night – leftovers are sure to bring joy to your next meal.

Set the Tone with Some Music 

At the risk of suggesting something seemingly obvious, have you tried turning on some music? A little bit of background music has a special way of changing your surroundings for the better, turning what might have felt like an empty house into a cozy home.

Whatever your and your husband’s music taste might be, there’s surely a holiday playlist out there to suit it. Search around on Spotify and YouTube for lengthy playlists, turn the volume down to a reasonable level, and let the music fill your home all day.

Say Yes to Parties and Gatherings

You and your husband will be spending a lot of your time together this Christmas, which isn’t a negative thing on its own. But you might find yourselves wishing for more variety and community during the Christmas season. And just because you can’t satisfy that desire with your own families doesn’t mean you should ignore it entirely.

You might consider finding community outside your household to make the season feel full. Maybe there’s a family in your neighborhood that’s throwing a party, or maybe you could invite another couple over for dinner, or maybe your place of worship is having a gathering. As much as you and your husband can have a merry Christmas all on your own, you’ll be glad you chose to see some other friendly faces.

Remind Yourself What the Season Is About

If your celebration of Christmas isn’t limited to being about gifts and togetherness and goodwill, but also has to do with your and your husband’s faith, then incorporating this into your rhythms will help this season feel complete. 

You could read a daily devotional together or attend church services. If you have the extra time, you can also volunteer together at soup kitchens, shelters, nursing homes, and hospitals while you're off for the holiday.

Closing Thoughts

Celebrating Christmas without a big family around can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to keep you and your husband from having a Christmas you’ll look back on fondly. With just a bit of planning, your Christmas for two can feel very merry.

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