Alone for the Holidays? How to Plan a Meaningful Holiday Season as a Single Woman

The holidays can feel like a test you never signed up for when you are divorced, widowed, or single, especially when every ad and every conversation seems to assume you have a full house and a full calendar. I’m Cheryl Esch, a Christian travel coach, and I get specific about what it’s like to face Thanksgiving and Christmas with real grief, real memories, and the very real fear of ending up alone by default. I share a few honest snapshots from my own post-divorce holidays, from choosing an eight-hour drive to be near family because I knew my mental health needed it, to the year I stood in line for a single Thanksgiving plate and ate it alone, to the awkwardness of being the extra seat at someone else’s family table. Those moments taught me what I do not want to feel again, and they pushed me toward a better approach: plan early, plan intentionally, and stop letting the season “happen” to you. We walk through three practical questions you can use to design your holiday plans: how do you want to spend the day and how do you want to feel, who do you truly want around you, and where do you want to be. If solo travel during the holidays is part of that answer, we talk about why travel can be a healthy boundary, a grief-friendly reset, and a meaningful way to create new memories without getting pulled into chaos or family drama. We also keep faith at the center by talking about prayer, discernment, and choosing what God may be leading you toward. To celebrate my 200th episode, I’m also offering one woman a 20% discount on my four-session, one-on-one travel coaching program with a discovery call to make sure it’s the right fit. Listen, share this with a friend who’s dreading the season, and subscribe and leave a review so more women can find support, hope, and a plan. Coaching Invitation As a celebration of my 200th episode, 1 woman will receive 20% off my signature travel coaching one-on-one sessions. Be the first to apply. If you’re feeling drawn toward solo travel but unsure where to begin, this is something I support women with through 1:1 coaching. Together we can explore what kind of travel experience fits your season of life and create a thoughtful plan that reflects the woman you are becoming. https://cherylbeckesch.com/workwithme/ Apply for the Set Free to Become: A Spirit-led Travel Journey Coaching https://forms.gle/CG6K2pXEQmiXwfBW8 Support the show https://www.cherylbeckesch.com [email protected] Instagram @solotraveladventures50