We must not overlook the fact that many are forced to spend time on their own and suffer poor mental health as a result. Research by The Campaign To End Loneliness says that 3.3 million people were chronically lonely in the UK in December last year. For others who choose to take some time out, there are many advantages that go beyond simply avoiding whatever unhinged rules and rituals your parents have implemented in their household this year.

Josh, an operations manager who lives in New York, has been spending Christmas on his own since he was 17. “My family live in New Zealand, so it’s normal,” he says. Josh will speak to them on Christmas Eve, but enjoys the space he creates for himself on the day itself. He has subverted the idea of what the festive period means.

“I’ve always worked in hospitality or retail so Christmas is a busy time with so many people,” he says. “Christmas Day is a good opportunity for me to spend time with myself. I like the quiet time when things aren’t open, and you don’t need to be around people. I rarely accept people’s invitations for an orphan’s Christmas. I’ll make some food for myself, sleep, watch some TV. I look forward to it.”

Various elements of the festive period that he recalls from his childhood are not necessarily healthy for him now as an adult. “We were close with my extended family and we would always go round to someone’s house so it was a lot of chaotic energy,” Josh says. We can all relate, I’m sure. “I grew up in a Catholic household so church would be involved. I don’t miss midnight mass.”

I, too, have sought to protect myself by creating boundaries with my family in the past few years. Spending less time or communicating more infrequently with loved ones does not always mean something is wrong. Quite the opposite. Dr Lucy Viney, a clinical psychologist and cofounder of the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic, believes that deciding to be by yourself at this time of year can actually improve our relationships.

“Unresolved traumas in families get reactivated over Christmas,” she says. “That might mean putting boundaries in place with family and friends you don’t see that often. Making the change in the short term can cause better relationships in the long term. You could see yourself in a negative way, like you’re isolating from people, but it can be viewed positively. Exposure to toxic dynamics can be triggering and any behaviours around those dynamics, such as intrusive questions or festivities that feel unhealthy, might make us vulnerable.”

A sense of agency and independence at such a busy time of year can be more fulfilling – and fun. “Use this as an opportunity,” says Viney. “What is it that you value most in life? Use that to guide you in making this time meaningful to you. Do you value being in good health? Or is it creativity? Charity work might be important and you could work in a soup kitchen. Or perhaps it’s an opportunity to focus on self-improvement or travel.”

Experiencing other cultures is my motivation this holiday season and I know I’m not the only person who likes to jump on a plane at the first sight of fairy lights. Harry, a music promoter, will also be avoiding the bitter cold of a British winter this year. His family lives in northeast England and he is based in London, but he always ensures he is in a far-flung corner of the globe at Christmas.

“I’m going to spend a month in Southeast Asia from December to mid-January,” Harry says. “I travel inexpensively, but I always do Christmas Day and Boxing Day at a posh hotel. It’s a treat. I’ll watch Christmas films and all that. I’m on my own, but I still want that vibe.”

Is it turkey and sprouts too, then? “I either find somewhere that’s proper Christmassy and cheesy – a Christmas spread with a chef serving it in a Santa outfit – or I’ll settle for a spaghetti bolognese or a burger.” I often regress to the age of about 14 the second I engage with the formalities and logistics of a huge family dinner, so the simplicity of this sounds positively liberating.

Harry loves spending time with his parents and he will do so before he goes away, but as an adult he has stopped valuing the festive season in the traditional way. “You go home for a big dinner and then by Boxing Day it’s like, ‘Pretty boring this, innit?’ I get it for little kids but otherwise, what’s the point? I just think, ‘Why am I here when I could be in Vietnam?’ Spread your wings.”

If you’re someone who needs the comfort of company and home, travelling solo at this time of year can be a daunting prospect. Harry acknowledges this.

“Being an only child, I’m naturally independent,” he says. “I can be on my own and happy for others who are with their families. If you’re someone who can’t handle Christmas on your own, just take the plunge. It might seem scary but it’s character building. It’s never easy but I’m like, ‘I’ve got this’. It’s just a day.”

If throwing ourselves into this exploit isn’t possible, how, in practice, do we learn to spend time alone? Few religions or philosophies place more significance on solitary living than Buddhism, so let’s ask the professionals.

“There is a possibility to learn how to feel festive and celebratory in our own company,” says Mr Gelong Thubten, a Buddhist monk who wrote the bestseller A Monk’s Guide To Happiness. “We can be our own party. We often become quite disconnected from ourselves, busy with outer things and not paying much attention to our own minds. When we spend some time alone, we have a chance to accept who we are and be kind to ourselves.”

Sounds great, but how do we achieve this? A surfeit of sherry and Terry’s Chocolate Orange? “Through meditation and the practice of short moments of mindfulness repeated many times per day,” Thubten says. “These techniques can be learnt from books, online videos and meditation apps. We are not trying to get rid of our thoughts, it is about being present and learning how to be less controlled by distracting thoughts and emotions.”

Even if we learn how to be alone and benefit from the results, what about the parties, dinners and conversation? “Once [Christmas] is over, life goes on and have we really missed out on anything, anyway?” Thubten asks “Practising meditation is the best way to transform the fear of missing out into the joy of missing out, or Jomo.”

While few of us could promise Thubten that we will be sitting cross-legged with eyes closed on 25 December, it’s reassuring to know we have tools to assist us on our solitary festive journeys if that’s what we choose to do. Whatever benefits I reap, I’m sure there’ll be a part of me that will miss the madness of a festive family household, but there’s always next year for that. This year? It’s all about Jomo. So, cheers to me. I wish myself peace, happiness and prosperity for the coming year.