Celebrating the Holidays Away from Home: Tips for Staying Connected

It’s all fun and games until you are homesick during the holidays. Holidays abroad can be tough, knowing you will miss your grandma’s famous apple pie or your bestie’s annual ugly sweater party can have you regretting spending so much time away. It is understandable and expected to want to return home and create more memorable moments with your tribe.

This year is my first time home for Christmas after two years abroad. While challenging, staying connected when away from home for Christmas is not impossible. Don’t let the holiday season overshadow all of your adventures. Celebrating the holidays abroad can be just as heartwarming and give the gift of everlasting memories.

Best Ways to Stay Connected with Family When Traveling During the Holidays

Embrace Virtual Connections

One of the many benefits of living in the digital age is the ability to reach out to those in our hearts and almost instantly be connected. Regardless of time zone difference and those who take 3 to 5 business days to text back, digital communication will always be faster than handwritten notes (though handwritten notes are lovely and should be utilized more often). When combating holiday loneliness abroad hosting virtual holiday celebrations might be just the thing for you.

Set Up Holiday Video Calls

Schedule calls to celebrate important holiday moments like gift exchanges or meals. In the name of the holiday season, go ahead and drink that hot today at 8 am while your family drinks their holiday beverages at 8 pm. Do a virtual walk-through of your favorite Christmas Light light trail with your friends.

Whether through Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, Whats App, or Kakao Talk, (am I missing anything), there are always ways to chat and stay connected regardless of device or phone service. At most, you will need a reliable internet connection or unlimited data.

I recommend having a few different modes of communication downloaded at all times in case one is lacking or unavailable at any given time. I was in Korea when Kakoa Talk was down for a whole day and a half and had no idea what to do with myself.

Get Creative with Technology

In the same vein of video calls, you don’t have to miss the Christmas movie marathon either. Teleparty (previously Netflix Party) allows you to watch major platforms including Netflix, YouTube, and Disney Plus. Be sure to cozy up with your favorite Christmas mug and wear your ugly sweater.

Time Zone Considerations

Different time zones can be tricky. Communication will be key and schedule and sleep may need to be sacrificed on both sides. The best solution is to schedule everything in advance and do your best to schedule on a weekend.

When in Korea, my Saturday morning was my family’s Friday evening. My family would move their schedule around so I could participate without losing my whole day. I would make myself available on Monday mornings to be with them on Sunday nights.

Send Thoughtful Packages or Letters

Care packages are a great way to show that you…care. Packages don’t have to be fancy and they don’t even have to be a package at all. Here are a few ideas for thoughtful gifts.

Not the greatest card but you get the idea

• Care packages are lovely no matter the size. A small trinket you picked up at a market. Stickers of their favorite characters, that you haven’t seen back home. When living abroad there are a considerable amount of novelty items that can be acquired without breaking the bank.

• Handwritten notes are a timeless act of love and appreciation. Taking the time to write, a hopefully legible letter will have friends and family loving the fact that they received mail. Extra points if written on a postcard or printed photo of you during your time abroad.

• Digital surprises can be a fun little pick-me-up to ignite the holiday spirit. Sharing your favorite playlist or a playlist tailor-made to the recipient to let them know how well you know them. Or a collage of all your favorite or embarrassing times together.

Leverage Social Media

Social media is all about building and maintaining connections. Even if you are camera shy it’s never too little to share your thoughts or a picture of your environment. Contrary to popular belief you don’t have to be a photographer or influence to exist on social media. Connecting with friends and family will always be welcome despite your follower count.

• Share your holiday Stories and photos of how you’re celebrating. Did you get invited to a holiday dinner? Share a photo of what you ate, and write your thoughts about new a dish in the comments. Did you find Christmas lights, share a photo or video of that too!

• Interactive Posts are a fun way to engage with friends and family by asking questions or posting throwback holiday photos. Ask what family and friends are doing in a way to connect without having to organize a call. Request ideas on what holiday dish to make for your new friends.

How to minimize homesickness while celebrating holidays away from home

We’ve talked about how you can stay connected but now let’s switch gears. While staying connected offers relief from FOMO, you will still have to deal with the reality that your current home lacks the decorativeness from your mother’s years of collecting Christmas memorabilia.

Create Your Own Traditions Abroad

Sharing the tradition of matching PJs, gingerbread houses, and watching Die Hard, the greatest Christmas movie

• Personalize Local Customs to incorporate local holiday traditions into your celebrations. What does the country you are in do for Christmas? If they don’t celebrate, is there a local dish made for celebrations?

  In Korea, Christmas is for couples. In the same vein as Valentine’s Day, going out with your friends is completely normal if you are not coupled up. While they do not celebrate Christmas like Americans, there are always several light shows to attend during the holiday.

• Host a Gathering and invite other expats or locals to join you in celebrating the holidays. Just because a place doesn’t celebrate Christmas, doesn’t mean they won’t be open to celebrating. Even if they know about Christmas they might be curious to see how YOU celebrate. Invite other travelers and fight off the holiday blues together.

• Craft a Holiday Keepsake like creating a scrapbook or take a local class to make gifts. Think about what the country you are in is famous for. Is it chocolate? Take a chocolate-making class and make your own holiday treats. Try a perfume class and craft a holiday scent. Make memories and use your newfound knowledge to send meaningful gifts later back home.

Cultivate Gratitude and Mindfulness

Lights and gifts aside Christmas is about giving and the end of the year is about reflection. The best way to make Christmas feel special when living abroad is to focus on what you have right before you.

• Focus on What You CAN Do and celebrate the unique opportunities that come with being abroad. Many countries with large foreign communities do offer Christmas as a day off, even if they do not fully celebrate it. Spend the day journeying to that restaurant you’ve had your eye on. Ask a local friend to show you somewhere most foreigners wouldn’t know about.

• Practice Gratitude to reflect on the positive experiences and connections made while abroad. Here are a few prompts to get you started.

  • Highlight Reel:
    What were the top three moments that brought you the most joy this year? Reflect on why they stood out and how they made you feel.

  • Gratitude Spotlight:
    Think about a person who made a significant positive impact on your life this year. How did they influence you, and what lessons or joy did they bring into your world?

  • Milestone Memories:
    Reflect on a meaningful milestone or achievement from this year. How did you celebrate it, and who was by your side during that time?

  • Acts of Kindness:
    What’s one act of kindness—big or small—that someone did for you this year? How did it affect your day or your outlook on life?

  • Connection Growth:
    Write about a new or deepened connection you formed this year. How did it start, and how has this relationship enriched your life?

  • Prepare for the New Year

    Discover 2025 Journal Prompts to help you focus on what’s next as the year wraps up!

To feel less lonely during the holidays find comfort in the fact that you can still foster closeness despite physical distance. Homesickness is normal but if you are proactive about staying connected, you can find yourself having the time of your life and spreading Christmas cheer. No matter how much time you have spent abroad leading up to Christmas it was likely spent fostering new relationships and forging meaningful memories. Take these Christmas abroad tips and give back to the locals and new community by sharing your traditions or offering small gifts to share your gratitude.

What are some of your tips or stories about staying connected abroad? Share in the comments and tell us what country you spent your Christmas in.