Having to celebrate Christmas away from your family is definitely not the end of the world. It can be great fun if you don't let yourself get upset, and don't stay cooped up in your flat all alone.

Fairs and Markets

Something that can put any lonely soul into a cheerful mood is visiting a Christmas market or fair for an overdose of seasonal food, beverages and entertainment. Better still is if you can arrange to go together with friends and indulge in numerous mugs of steaming mulled wine. In as cute and cosy a setting, you won't have the chance to get upset about being away from your family.

Celebrating With Friends

You are bound not to be the only one staying in town for Christmas, being unable to get home to celebrate with your family. So be the organiser of the group and arrange to spend the festivities together with friends.

Decide on where you will celebrate. The most likely and practical venue is someone's home so that you have access to a kitchen for preparing the festive meal.

Put together a menu. This can be particularly fun if you have an international bunch of friends. Ask everyone to contribute a traditional recipe from their country. The easiest way of organising the meal might be to ask everyone to pre-prepare things at home, and just reheat them upon arrival if necessary.

You can also ask everyone to prepare some form of entertainment, whether it's a national song or dance, or a game that could get everyone involved.

To avoid having to spend vast amounts of money, speak to your friends to ensure no one splurges on expensive gifts leaving the others feeling uncomfortable.

Staff Parties

One of the most fun occasions people associate Christmas with is the staff lunch or night out. It is usually a really jolly event that fuels the coffee break gossip sessions for at least the next few months or so. Towards the end of the year, people seem to lose their inhibitions and forget what is considered appropriate behaviour among colleagues. Most seasonal staff nights out involve a meal, drinks, dancing and at least one person wondering around the room with a branch of mistletoe.

Hotels, restaurants and other event spaces offer special deals and party packages, in which prearranged entertainment such as a cheesy DJ usually plays a part.

You may not have the chance to spend Christmas with your family, and you could be missing out on presents, but you do have your corporate Christmas gifts to look forward to as companies reward their employees for a year of hard work. These are either handed out at the office or during the Christmas party.