How I Got Through the First Post-Divorce Holiday Season

(Hint: Spain)

I’m Haley. Book midwife (editor), author, and single mom of four. Consider upgrading to a paid subscription to support my family and gain access to exclusive content:

I am flying across the ocean.

I am alone.

That was the first entry into a journal I took with me to what I called “Weird Christmas,” the first Christmas to navigate after my divorce. Because I was determined that my children would spend Christmas with their grandparents as usual (their dad’s side of the family), my Christmas day would look different than it has for the last 20 years of opening presents at my former in-laws’ house. I started dreading it months ahead of time and bought a ticket to Spain to console myself. (In my defense, the ticket was VERY cheap.)

On the flight to Barcelona I wrote:

Every other Christmas of my life has always felt warm, happy. I’ve been full. Full of food and gratitude and a sense of belonging and all being right with the world.

A morning walk with my husband after opening presents with his family and having Christmas breakfast. Shared smiles as I delighted in watching our children joyfully celebrate. Another Christmas to add like a pearl to a glistening strand of other happy Christmases.