Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Let "Humans Of New York" Find You A Christmas Family
By
Lauren Evans
Published Dec 17, 2014
Modified Dec 17, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Lauren Evans
Published Dec 17, 2014
Modified Dec 17, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The holidays are all well and good until your flight gets cancelled or your Metro-North train bursts into flames and you're stuck spending them alone—a grown-ass, sweater vest-wearing orphan marooned in your own living room with the dust bunnies.
Humans of New York's Brandon Stanton understands that particular brand of loneliness, and is once again hooking up isolated New Yorkers with families or friends who are like family who happen to have an extra spot at their table. It's really sweet:
I think I spent my first Christmas Eve in New York at a 24 hour diner, because I didn't have the money to go home. If you think you're heading for a similar situation this Christmas, get in touch, and we'll set you up with some great food and good company. (Don't be shy—this doesn't mean you don't have any friends. It just means that circumstances have conspired against you for the holidays.) And if you already have a happy holiday planned, please consider making room for one extra person.
The match-ups are made not by a soulless Tinderbot (which would be..neat?) but by Stanton's girlfriend, Erin, who screens and connects each participant with the makeshift family she feels will suit them best.
If you don't want to pass the holiday alone under your couch, email [email protected].
If you'd like a place at a table, write GUEST in the subject line.
If you have a place at the table, write HOST in the subject line.
Include your approximate location and some information about yourself. (Example content: "If I see a cat I WILL try to eat it!" and "I HATE old people!")
Stanton also notes that "last year we had almost 100 matches and nobody had a bad experience." So there!
Tagged
christmas
humans of new york
Lauren Evans
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .