What a strange, strange year it’s been. From highly-anticipated plans and events to livelihoods and mental wellness, the coronavirus pandemic has demanded more than its fair share of sacrifices. But as we near the end of 2020, we all have one more hurdle to clear: the temptation to travel during the holiday season.

It’s true that there’s no place like home for the holidays, and after several months of turbulence, the desire to reunite with family is at its peak. But now that staying put is paramount to protecting public health—especially as the cold months keep us inside—thousands of would-be travelers will be looking for new ways to usher in what is usually the most wonderful time of the year.

Still, just because this holiday season looks different doesn’t mean it has to be all bad. There are plenty of people who spend the holidays far from home each and every year, who find ways to celebrate despite that distance. Here, seven expats from around the world share advice on spending the holidays away from home, whether you want to recreate beloved old traditions or start brand new ones.

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1. Try to Focus On What You’re Gaining

Adam Hurly, writer — from Sioux Falls, SD; living in Berlin

How do you bring holiday traditions from home to where you are in the world?

“I have prioritized making a group of expat American friends here and spending a lot of time with them. Of course, I make friends from everywhere, but during the holidays these American friends give you that sense of home and familiarity. This goes for more than just the holidays: they also come in handy around election time, or when you want to discuss your favorite pop culture from back home.”

What advice would you give someone spending their first holiday away from home?

“Try to focus on what you’re gaining, not what you’re missing. Maybe every other day of the year, you’d rather be exactly where you are. Or maybe if that’s not true, you can use this as a time to reflect and make homecoming plans for later. But either way, I’m sure you feel some sense of achievement or growth—and that’s the trade-off of missing home at the holidays. This framing doesn’t necessarily fix homesickness, but it does remind me that I’m giving myself a self-enriching gift of sorts. Also, requesting a box of Thin Mints from home never hurts either. Just be sure they ship it in early December!”

2. Decorate, Even If Just A Bit

Alex T. Thomas, photographer — from Seattle, WA; living in Tokyo

How do you bring holiday traditions from home to where you are in the world?

“Find people from the community you’re missing who also want to celebrate. Making friends with or finding out where the expat community largely gathers, you will find foreign-owned restaurants hanging up decor or a market that imports the foods you miss. It’s so hard to find turkey meat anywhere in Tokyo, but because of the large U.S. expat community in the Azabu-juban area, there are markets that cater to those who want to throw Thanksgiving or Christmas parties.”

What advice would you give someone spending their first holiday away from home?

“Definitely hang up even a few decorations! It’ll put you in the spirit and warm your heart with past memories. Last year I inherited a small artificial Christmas tree from a friend who was moving away. I eventually got around to putting it up on Christmas Eve, and even though I was late and alone, it made a big difference—I felt the cheer of the year-end American holidays, even in my sun-drenched Tokyo apartment.”

3. Create New Traditions

Yolanda Evans, travel writer — from St. Charles; living in Berlin (currently in Bundoran, Germany)

How do you bring holiday traditions from home to where you are in the world?

“It’s not Christmas without a sweet potato pie!”

What advice would you give someone spending their first holiday away from home?

“Try to make your own new traditions—like, this might be the first time you cook. Make some comfort food and treat yourself to plenty of booze to make you merry. I also always go over to a friend’s house to celebrate.”

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4. Try to Find Some Company

Rhea Dhanbhoora, writer — from Bombay, India; living in Dutchess County, New York

How do you bring holiday traditions from home to where you are in the world?

“My family celebrated every holiday under the sun, really. It started when we were kids and it was just fun having a bunch of holidays and treats to look forward to—but it’s also because we lived in Bombay, which is so ‘multicultural’ that there are people from all over the world celebrating all sorts of things. I’m Parsi Zoroastrian, so we really only had around two holidays a year in March and in August. But even though they’re not ‘our’ holidays we’ve always celebrated everything else, including Christmas! So the traditions I bring with me include some typically Parsi flavors in March and August—maybe some sandalwood candles and lily bouquets, but mostly food!”

What advice would you give someone spending their first holiday away from home?

“If it’s your first time spending a holiday far from home, it’s important to try not to spend it alone. There are holidays that aren’t even really ‘mine’ that felt really lonely that first year. Birthdays, anniversaries—you’re going to think it’s no big deal right up until midway through that ‘special day,’ and then it’ll hit. So why take the chance? I find that it’s a lot easier when you’re celebrating with someone else. Reach out to someone, even if it feels odd. You’ll be surprised how many people look like they’re doing marvelously, but they’re having the same homesick feeling, even if their family is two hours away instead of fifteen or twenty.”

5. Feast With Friends

Annu Kilpeläinen, illustrator — from Saahkarlahti, Finland; living in London

How do you bring holiday traditions from home to where you are in the world?

“Cooking is always a great way to get in the spirit! One year we had Christmas in London and we all cooked something from our home countries. It was the weirdest feast of Finnish, Australian, Eritrean, Japanese, Swedish, and Swiss food, but it felt so homely and Christmassy. So go wild and mix and match old traditions into new ones.”

What advice would you give someone spending their first holiday away from home?

“This year Christmas will be so different for so many people, so gather together random friends and neighbors even if just for one evening of celebration. Enjoy long walks—that’s what holidays are made for. And try combining traditions, like Rachel’s Thanksgiving trifle.”

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6. Seek Out Fellow Expats

Katie Lockhart, travel and food writer — from Boston and New York; living in Asia (currently in Vietnam)

How do you bring holiday traditions from home to where you are in the world?

“I typically join expat community Facebook pages wherever I go, from Chiang Mai to Bali to Hoi An. Around the holiday season, there are always businesses hosting holiday events from Thanksgiving dinners to Christmas parties. Those are typically pretty fun and a great way to meet people.”

What advice would you give someone spending their first holiday away from home?

“I’d say try to stay positive. In 2020, if you and your family are healthy, that’s really all you can ask for. Plan a phone call with your family and do at least one thing that makes you happy. For me, it means pizza for Thanksgiving.”

7. Online Shopping Is Your Best Friend

Madeline Lu, travel influencer — from China (and raised around the world); living in Germany

How do you bring holiday traditions from home to where you are in the world?

“Since my husband is from Germany, many of our holiday traditions are German. We always prepare an Advent calendar for the kids from December 1st to 24th. Every day, the kids would wake up to a little present in the morning. If we are traveling during those days, we bring their presents with us on the trip, hide them in our Away luggage, bring them out in the middle of the night, and put them beside the kids’ pillows so they wake up to these little surprises. If we stay at an Airbnb or another holiday rental, we also bake German Christmas cookies together while listening to Christmas songs. We always watch some Christmas movies together in bed with a cup of hot chocolate in hand.”

What advice would you give anybody spending their first major holiday away from home?

“Plan ahead and be prepared. Order presents in advance—the postal service is always super overwhelmed during the holiday season, so the earlier, the better. If there is a particular kind of food (e.g. a specific brand of hot chocolate, tea, cookies) that you like to consume during the holidays, consider ordering it online if you can’t find them in the place where you are.”