Christmas abroad sounds exciting. Different lights, new traditions, maybe warmer weather. And sometimes it is exactly that. But other times, spending Christmas abroad hits differently – quieter, heavier, more reflective than expected.

I’ve spent many Christmases abroad, from New York to Bali and in Greece of course, and I’ve felt a little bit of everything. I experimented with some strategies to keep the holiday feeling up and lively, found the ones that work for me and thought they might work for you too.

If you’ve ever found yourself abroad in December, scrolling through photos of family dinners, childhood rituals, Christmas lights in the streets of your hometown, wondering why this season feels so strange… this article is for you. 

And let’s be clear: you can love your expat life and still feel somewhat weird in December. That’s perfectly normal! Christmas abroad isn’t just a holiday. It’s often a mirror.

Why spending Christmas abroad feels different

Spending Christmas in a foreign country changes the emotional weight of the season. The days might look normal – coffee, work, errands – but underneath, something might feel off. Traditions are missing, time zones stretch conversations thin, and suddenly you realise how much of Christmas is built on repetition and shared memories.

My first Christmas abroad was in New York, and that hit different “only” because I was away from my family for the first time, in a completely different time zone (but I will tell you later how I overcame the issue). Overall, though, the holiday season there is very similar to what we’re used to experience in Italy or Europe in general. Actually, it’s even enhanced – I mean, it’s New York city! From the Macy’s parade on Thanksgiving day on, it’s an explosion of Christmas mood everywhere you turn your head. Add snow (which we had in abundance, that year) and the picture becomes almost perfect.

When I was in Bali, though, the situation was different. First of all, Indonesia is mostly Muslim with a predominance of Hindu in Bali specifically; only a minority of people is Christian – so Christmas is definitely not a heartfelt holiday there. They put on some decorations here and there, mostly for tourists and expats, but yeah – doesn’t hit the same way for sure. Bypassing the time zone difference (again), the second thing to consider is that for us Europeans it’s pretty weird to wear flipflops and sweat your heart out on Christmas. Nothing further from that cozy holiday feeling we are used to. Fascinating to experience, but not everyone will like it.

I’m not saying that you will necessarily be homesick, but for sure, when you live abroad, Christmas becomes the moment when distance feels real. The moment when many expats realise something important: you can love your life abroad and miss home at the same time. Those two feelings don’t cancel each other out.

The emotional side of Christmas holidays abroad

Christmas holidays abroad tend to surface emotions we usually keep busy enough to ignore.

There’s often guilt for not going home. Guilt for missing family moments that won’t come back. Guilt for enjoying your freedom while others gather around the same table every year.

At the same time, there’s a quiet sense of relief. No expectations. No pressure to perform traditions that, in some cases, no longer fully fit. Just space – sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes liberating.

This emotional mix is incredibly common during an expat Christmas, even if not many people talk about it openly.

When Christmas abroad becomes a life checkpoint

For a lot of us, Christmas (not only abroad) turns into a moment of evaluation.
Am I where I want to be? Is this lifestyle still aligned with who I am becoming? Is this really the life I wanted?

It’s not uncommon for major decisions to crystallise around this time – staying, moving again, changing direction. Christmas abroad often marks a silent but powerful life change, even if it doesn’t look dramatic from the outside. It’s exactly during one of my Christmases abroad (in Greece, at my boyfriend’s family house) that I decided, together with him, to open a gluten free café in Rhodes – a decision that changed my life big time!

Expat Christmas: you’re not the only one feeling this way

As it happens in many other situations, one of the hardest parts of an expat Christmas is feeling like you’re the only one struggling with certain feelings.
But you’re not.

Across the world, thousands of people are spending Christmas abroad in shared apartments, temporary homes, or countries where the holiday barely registers. Many expat communities quietly lean on each other during this time, even without saying what’s happening out loud.

Sometimes just knowing that this experience is shared makes it lighter, don’t you think? But yet, it might not be enough per se. So here are a few suggestions to celebrate a cozy Christmas wherever you are – based on my experience as an Italian wanderer!

How to celebrate Christmas as an expat without feeling lonely

While you can’t exactly replicate the Christmas you left behind, you can create something meaningful where you are. Let’s see how.

1. Create your own traditions

Traditions don’t have to be inherited to be valid.
A favourite meal, a solo walk, a movie or board game night, a slow morning: these can become rituals that ground you, especially during Christmas holidays abroad.

For me, for example, that tradition is creating my vision board for the year that is about to begin. I start working on it on Christmas day and then I perfect it little by little, to have it ready by the end of the year. I did it for the first time in Bali, and I’ve never stopped since – whether I spend the holidays abroad or in my hometown, that’s a must-do that makes me feel present and aligned.

The second one is definitely food. For me there’s no Christmas without a good meal, possibly shared (see the next point!).

2. Choose people over perfection

The people you celebrate with matter more than the day itself.
Your partner, expat friends, neighbors, coworkers… sometimes even strangers that gather in the same place as you! I don’t know if you noticed already, but the most unexpected gatherings become the most memorable ones. 

In general, found family counts – especially when the blood family is miles and miles away. 

Some examples from my experience? In New York, I spent Christmas with two University friends who came to visit from Italy – plus my housemates of course. In Bali, I always spent it with groups of Italian friends, Indonesian ones and other expats too. In Greece, it was once with a big group of digital nomads and University students temporarily living in Rhodes (with whom we even did a beach cleanup and swim in the sea!) and once with my boyfriend’s family in their village. And I have to say, being surrounded by old and new friends made all the difference in the world!

3. Stay connected (without forcing it)

Staying in touch with your loved ones doesn’t mean being constantly available.
Short, sincere calls often feel better than long, emotionally draining ones (or ones where everyone screams and shows their nose or foreheads for hours). It’s okay to protect your energy if you feel like you have to.

Sometimes, feeling closer during Christmas abroad is about small comforts: quick messages to share photos of the day, reading books that remind you of home, listening to Christmas music, enjoying familiar routines. 

I can’t even begin to count all the photos I received from home during the holidays I spent abroad: pictures of food, of Christmas decorations, of people opening gifts, of family children playing with new toys… and each one of them contributes to making you feel closer to them, despite the distance.

4. Give yourself permission to do nothing

To be completely honest, not every Christmas abroad needs to be meaningful, productive or particularly festive.
Sometimes the healthiest choice is to rest, disconnect and let the season pass quietly.

That, too, is valid, so don’t force yourself to do anything that you don’t feel like doing. 

Is spending Christmas abroad worth it?

I think there’s no universal answer to this question.
For some people, spending Christmas abroad feels lonely and disconnected.
For others, it becomes a turning point, a moment of clarity, freedom or emotional reset.

What matters most is not where you spend Christmas, but whether you allow yourself to experience it honestly, without comparison or judgment.

Sometimes Christmas abroad isn’t about celebration. It’s about listening to yourself and your needs at the moment (especially if you didn’t choose to spend it away from home).

Personally, after trying the experience of Christmas holidays in (very) different countries, I feel that my favorite option is still to go back home to celebrate, if I can. Nothing beats a plate of warm gluten free cappelletti, the smell of pandoro, exchanging little gifts with family and playing with my little nieces – since I don’t have a chance to do it in a different time of the year. But this doesn’t mean that I might feel different next year, or that I didn’t enjoy the past Christmas days abroad!

For sure, I believe that spending Christmas abroad has a way of reshaping you slowly.
It teaches you that home isn’t always a place, that traditions can evolve, and that feeling conflicted or changing your mind doesn’t mean you made the wrong choice.

This Christmas, whether you spend it in your hometown or abroad, take time to look in the mirror and listen to yourself – to what you’ve built, what you miss and what kind of life you want moving forward.

That, in itself, is a gift. Probably one of the best gifts you can give to yourself.

Have you ever spent a Christmas abroad, as an expat or a traveler? How was your experience? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments!