25 December 2025
Christmas can be magical, but for many people living abroad, it can also be lonely. As former expats, we know this feeling all too well.
Five years ago, Madeira Friends created No_mad Alone with one simple belief: no one should spend Christmas alone.
What started as a small community gathering has grown into an annual tradition, one that brings together locals, expats, digital nomads, visitors, and anyone who simply wants to share Christmas in good company.
No_mad Alone 2025: Improv acting with Gummi
A Christmas tradition rooted in community
Every year, on 25 December, No_mad Alone takes place at Pestana CR7 Funchal, a venue that has welcomed this initiative from the very beginning. And every year, the same thing happens: people arrive as strangers and leave feeling like they belong.
There are no barriers. No requirements. No labels.
Just a shared venue, shared laughter, and the feeling that, at least for this day, you are not alone.
More than an event, a space to belong
No_mad Alone is not about entertainment alone. It’s about connection.
Over the years, the event has offered free activities such as Improv acting, board games, dance workshops, kundalini activation, karoake, poncha workshops and more.
Everything is free and open, made possible by facilitators and volunteers who give their time so others can feel welcome.
For many people living far from home, this day becomes a reminder that community can exist anywhere, if people choose to create it.
Brazilian forró workshop with Carmina
Giving back, every single year
From the very beginning, No_mad Alone has always been about more than celebration.
Each year, the event also includes a solidarity fundraiser, focusing on a different cause within the local community. Over the years, together with our community, we have supported:
- Animal shelters through food and supplies
- Children through toys
- Teenagers and elderly people through books
- Children with cancer through PlayStations and games
Every year, the response is the same: people give generously. And every year, the event proves that community, when activated, has real power.
Why No_mad Alone matters
No_mad Alone continues to show what’s possible when people come together with intention.
It’s not about where you’re from. It’s not about how long you’re staying. It’s about showing up, for each other.
Five years on, No_mad Alone has become a symbol of what Madeira Friends stands for: inclusion, care, and long-term impact.
Board games with Mira
This year’s focus: investing in Madeira’s youth
In 2025, the No_mad Alone fundraiser focused on youth and access to technology.
This Christmas, Madeira Friends is raising funds to support the Madeira Friends Tech Lab, a program that connects young local entrepreneurs with international mentors and helps them build digital products and confidence, right here on the island.
At the Tech Lab, we are currently working with seven young Madeiran entrepreneurs. They are building real platforms, learning AI-powered tools, and exploring what’s possible, but none of that can happen without the right equipment.
A laptop may seem small, but for a young builder, it can mean access to education, opportunity, and a future built at home.
Imrov acting with Gummi
A tradition we will continue to protect
No_mad Alone reminds us every year that community is not accidental, it’s built, cared for, and sustained through action.
As long as there are people far from home, people feeling alone, and people willing to show up for one another, this tradition will continue.
Because Christmas is better when it’s shared. And no one should ever spend it alone.
