A popular Christmas song I grew up with is called Summer Christmas. The chorus goes ‘gift us a bright summer celebration in this land’, and each year, South Africa delivers.
For those of us from the southern hemisphere, Christmas means flip-flops and the sea. Santa wears sunglasses, snowmen are theoretical constructs, and the idea of sipping hot chocolate in a wool sweater? That’s just self-inflicted torture. I’ll take a cold beer infused with sunscreen and sand over a Glühwein spiced with rain any day.
But this year, no such luck.
Deck the halls with boughs of pity – or at least, that’s what people think when I say I’m Fa la la la la alone for Christmas. ‘Oh no! But…won’t you be lonely?’ they gasp, clutching their Santa-themed mugs as though they might faint from second-hand sadness. But Christmas by myself isn’t some tragic exile; it’s actually the ultimate holiday life hack.
Moving to the Netherlands meant swapping sunny summer festivities for a newfound appreciation of central heating and days shorter than the attention span of a student in a 9 a.m. lecture. Sure, I miss my sandy beer, but being here gives me something rare: the chance to rethink what traditions actually mean.
Christmas by myself isn’t some tragic exile; it’s the ultimate holiday life hack
I’ve become the Marie Kondo of my Christmas habits – keeping what sparks joy and leaving behind what I’ve simply outgrown or did for the sake of others. Isn’t that exactly why we came to study far away from home? Because we’re in the best phase of life to do this.
It might not feel like it amidst exams and deadlines, but as students, this is probably the least amount of responsibility we’ll ever have. So, how are you choosing to use this time?
Let’s not pretend family Christmases are always bliss. The modern obsession with the ‘perfect family Christmas’ is more Hallmark than holy. For once, I get to do whatever I want without judgment. I’ll miss my family, but I won’t miss the annual struggle to explain quantum physics to an uncle insisting it has something to do with Elon Musk. Solitude is the best gift, especially after a block full of exams, essays, and lab work.
Most of us international students already spend the better part of the year away from family. Sure, we feel homesick, but we also adapt, learning how to celebrate milestones in small, creative ways. Christmas is no different. Missing a few holidays with family is part of the deal when you’ve got a whole world to explore. So, this year, I’m not just biting the bullet, I’m getting comfy with the new normal.
And honestly? I’m not bad company. The Grinch was onto something. Alone? Sure. Lonely? Not a chance.
CARLA ERASMUS