Before we dive in. Quick question. What if this holiday season didn't leave you overwhelmed, broke, or secretly homesick. Today I'm sharing 10 expat approved tips to help you build a cozy, joyful holiday in the USA. That actually feels like yours. Even if you are far from home. Welcome to starting over in the USA, the Expat Woman's Guide to overcoming homesickness, embracing cultural differences, and creating a new home away from home. On this podcast, we talk about leaving behind the familiar, you know, the pangs of homesickness and culture shock to the journeys of reinventing yourself. I'm Yolanda Reshemah. And after relocating six times, I know firsthand what it's like to start from scratch, feeling like both a foreign child and a foreign adult in a new world. Hello, my expat friend. It's Wednesday and usually I have a guest with me, but today it's just you, me and 10 delightfully simple tips for a happier holiday season In the USA. In this episode we are talking about creating your own mini holiday world at home, mixing your traditions with American traditions. Finding micro communities that actually feel good and giving yourself permission to opt out of the chaos when you need to. You'll hear ideas like exploring America as if you were a tourist. Well explore as much as you possibly can right now. Think of this as your cozy, no pressure, holiday guide, practical, playful, and designed to help you feel a little more at home, wherever you are. These aren't theories or Pinterest boards, they're real ideas gathered from expats over the pond in England and from my community here in the USA and what expats online are reflecting. Let's get into it. Number one, create your own mini holiday world at home, put up Christmas lights, play your favorite holiday music. Watch nostalgic holiday movies. Bring in scents from home, like candles and spices and baking things that you remember your grandparents and your parents making that you can do easily here in the USA., It's less about matching the country you are in and more about creating a pocket of familiarity tranquility and peace. Somewhere you can come back to after a busy day feel safe and secure at home. Second thing, blend traditions instead of replacing them. We talked about this in the last few episodes. Create a dish from home for yourself. Create a dish that's very American The third Recreate a cultural ritual. Something you used to do maybe as a teen that's very memorable and joyful and brings you happy thoughts. And create a hybrid celebration with friends here in the USA. You can gather and talk about the things you hope for now and in the future. Stay connected, but set some emotional boundaries. They miss you. Everybody gets confused about the time zones. And the fourth thing, Create, your own community in the USA, it's about finding your family. Host a potluck instead of planning a big gathering and spending the whole evening worrying if everybody is having fun. Small intentional gatherings just helps to reduce loneliness and it takes the pressure off. Join some local meetups. Attend community events like Church Carol singing, or a play that's going on in your city. Something that's happening in a local restaurant, your shared workspace, your local pubs. Just join in, turn up, invite somebody else to go with you. Fifth thing is to give yourself permission to opt out. You don't have to attend every event. You don't have to buy all the gifts, and you don't have to participate in every single tradition. Choose rest that's what expats in the USA, are telling me they are going to do, they want to focus on a few meaningful activities. Say no to expensive gift exchanges, and also set yourself a budget sixth thing plan ahead for emotional triggers. This is something I hadn't really thought about. Given yourself time to cope with the inevitable feelings of nostalgia grief and homesickness, comparing Christmas here with Christmas there, oh, it was better back at home because we used to do this but spend time planning a comforting activity for hard days. Something that brings you comfort, that brings you joy and helps you to relax. Seventh thing, Explore your host country like a tourist. Visit holiday markets. Start trying out the local seasonal foods. Try something local, something seasonal, something delicious. Also, attend local free concerts. Go to all of the light displays in different neighborhoods. Eighth keep your expectations realistic. Your holidays here in the USA won't feel like home, and that's perfectly okay. Let go of the pressure to recreate everything. Focus on what's possible here and now. The things you can do, the things you can create for yourself, friends you can make. Allow the holidays to be different, not lesser, not less meaningful, not less fun, not less joy, just different, Ninth thing. Do something generous, within your means. Bake something for a neighbor. If you can donate time instead of money, send handwritten notes instead of text messages. I love this idea. Especially if you're good at calligraphy, the people receiving your handwritten note will know that you've taken some time and energy to create that just for them. and last of all. Number 10. Is creating a ritual that grounds you like lighting a candle at a certain time of day, maybe listening to your favorite songs. Something that's repeatable, something that's meaningful, but also simple, even if you've been here like me for over a decade. My family and I have this tradition that we do every Christmas. I found some ceramic tree decorations. One is a bell that belongs to my husband. One is a dear, a fawn that belongs to my daughter, and the other is a Christmas tree, and that belongs to me. We put them on our tree and share what we want to do. And what we pray for, for the new year. That's it. It's all about seeing what you can do for yourself to make yourself happy, to make yourself feel like you belong. We can't always wait for other people to do that for us. So instead of being overwhelmed and swept away by the grandeur and the fabulousness of the holidays here in the USA, make space for what you can do for yourself. That's it from me Today, I'll be back with more tips from my expat community. Enjoy the rest of the Christmas holidays and your New Year's celebration. Bye-bye.