Does your exchange student come from a country that celebrates Christmas? If so, you might notice homesickness looming on the horizon. In addition to our basic recommendations, here are seven ideas specifically aimed at holiday homesickness.
1. Encourage Open Communication
When Maria from Italy seemed quieter than usual, her host mom, Jeannie, decided to put the cards on the table. “How are you feeling about Christmas?” she asked. “What do you think you will miss the most?” And when Maria’s face went sad, host mom knew it was time for a heart to heart.
It can be difficult for a student to ask for support. They might even feel guilty for being sad at this special time of year. It can be helpful when host families make the first move to ask questions and then listen with love.
2. Acknowledge Their Feelings
As Jeannie listened to Maria, she paid special attention to emotions. “It’s normal to feel homesick and sad when you're so far from home during the holidays,” she said. “If I were in your country right now, I’d probably feel the same way.”
Like many students, Maria needed to know that her feelings were within the range of normal. Instead of feeling alarmed, she was able to calm down and focus on strategies for enjoying the holidays with her host family.
3. Keep Them Involved
Keeping busy is a tried and true remedy for homesickness. So, after a heartfelt chat, Jeannie invited Maria to help with holiday preparations. Over the coming days, they kept busy decorating, cooking, baking and wrapping gifts. They also spent time mapping out a December schedule and talking about upcoming events and traditions.
Soon Maria was busy decking the halls and humming a medley of American and Italian Christmas songs. She was so busy she barely had time to feel homesick.
4. Manage Connections with Home
Like so many exchange students, Maria was excited to connect frequently with family and friends back home over winter break. Jeannie, however, was worried that this could increase homesickness, and she was right.
After consulting with the coordinator, host mom decided to have another chat with Maria. They agreed it would be best for Maria to limit contact with home (as always) so she could truly experience the season in the USA.
5. Create New Memories
In the spirit of cultural exchange, Jeannie suggested that Maria share her holiday traditions with the family. Each day Maria taught the family something new. And in return, her host family organized simple, fun holiday outings for the whole family: seeing the lights, ice skating, holiday shopping and more.
6. Encourage Holiday Volunteering
Maria was intrigued when her host family decided to look for ways to give back during the holiday season. They chose to visit the children at a nearby hospital, volunteer at a shelter on Christmas Eve and donate a bag of holiday ingredients to their neighborhood food bank.
Volunteering sparks joy at any time of year. During the holiday season it can counteract homesickness as students experience new facets of American culture. It can also boost the bonds between students and host families.
7. Highlight the Positives
Thanks to a supportive host family, Maria thrived during the holidays. Every so often Jeannie would ask: “What are you grateful for?” Maria knew this was her cue to look for good things to fuel her positive attitudes.
The holiday season is an incredible opportunity to strengthen the bond between your family and your student, even in the face of homesickness.
Maria’s story shows us that missing home during the holidays doesn’t have to overshadow the magic of the season. With a little patience, creativity, and love, you can turn a potentially challenging time into a season full of joy, growth, and meaningful cultural exchange.
Here’s to making this holiday season bright—for both your family and your student!
