Families celebrate holidays worldwide, but what about people separated from their families? While many people may have loads of family to celebrate with, many don’t. The holidays tend to take an extra toll on immigrants. Seeing videos and photos of our families celebrating can sometimes bring us down. Even me, who’s been in this country for 10+ years, still struggles around the holidays. I often try to connect more with my family despite the time differences. It’s important to keep friends who are immigrants especially close during the holiday season. Here are some things you can do to help people not feel so alone. You can invite them to do festive things. For example, Friendsgiving is always a great opportunity. Invite them to Christmas parties or dinners. These events tend to help people feel more connected around these times. This inclusion can be even more important for religious holidays as most of the time back home they had the communities they had to leave behind.

Homesickness is an actual psychological event that people don’t talk about enough. This feeling intensifies with adults who may have lived in their home countries for longer. Homesickness has also been shown to come with a fear of missing out–FOMO as some call it. Seeing social media posts from friends and family during the holidays can add to the painful feeling of being homesick. For me, the worst has been watching my family grow through photos. This feeling becomes worse when we have events such as weddings, birthday events, etc. These are a lot of the things that can make this feeling worse. So, for any upcoming holiday season, ensure everyone is welcomed and involved, but also remember not to push! Some people may not be ready.

In conclusion, always remember to include your immigrant friends and family. Help people learn the ways and cultures. And help them find community in a place where they may feel alone!