*This is a collaborative post*
Most of us are looking forward to Christmas this year, and perhaps not entirely just for the festivities, but for the relaxing breath of relief, we can have after such an intensive and strange year. Unfortunately, not all families have had such luck this year where one event is enough to bring everything back down to Earth, but still, no one should be robbed of the positivity Christmas – or that the end of 2020 – can bring.
For this reason, we thought it would be a great idea to curate a few lovely ideas that the majority of families, religious or not, celebrating this event or not, can have fun with. It might be that you’ve already chosen your kids toys and the kind of food you’ll be feasting on, and you wish for a little more to enjoy and relate to. That’s worth considering. It can really be a lovely time of year provided you stay grateful for it and recognize what really matters, your friends or family and the closeness you share.
Without further ado, let us consider these ideas:
Do What You Can
It’s important to do what you can at this strange time of year. It might be that your children have already called to say they don’t feel safe coming home thanks to the pandemic – as they couldn’t live with themselves if they brought it into the household. It’s important to understand that Christmas might, for lack of a better term, suck this year. It’s important to note that this is temporary and that there are alternate pathways you can use to lessen how much of an effect it has on you.
For instance, voice calling, Skype, Zoom meetings, all of this can help you and your family member open presents together in the morning, or even having someone at the dinner table through a laptop could provide a novel edge. You may go online to play an online game with one another, or you may join a Disney+ viewing party to enjoy movies while not in the same room – as the party viewing feature has just rolled out. It’s simply important to do what you feel is most enjoyable and to realize there are alternatives to the next best option out there.
Handcrafted Items
Thanks to the financial considerations of 2020 staying unpredictable at best, many families are hoping to opt for something of a ‘streamlined’ Christmas this year around, spending less on wanton presents and instead budgeting for the things that really matter.
Of course, you’re free to choice what those things that matter are, exactly. However, we can help you with the idea of saving. It might be that putting some money aside, or using a credit card withdrawal, or opting for the financing of gifts can help you spread out this financial commitment in the long term. However, you may also find that handcrafted items, such as making your own cards this year, or making jewellery, or perhaps reupholstering a piece of furniture your family member absolutely loves, all of this can add a personal touch at a fraction of the cost. It might not work for everything, but keeping in mind that this is a possibility will help you think through opportunities to save money. There’s no reason why budgeting should mean you have a worse Christmas, or that the gifts you give will have anything less than the most sincere emotional weight behind them.
Entertainment Possibilities
Of course, entertainment might be a little different this year. You might not have attended the turning on of the Christmas lights in your local community, as people are, quite responsibly, hoping to stay at home. However, it might be that there are community activities you could get involved in or even run.
For instance, instead of trick or treating this year, some communities decided to run a Halloween competition where houses would decorate their exterior, and the socially-distanced group would move around the neighbourhood and vote for who they think won. It might bet that something like this can help you come together with people – without actually getting near them. That could be a great method of restoring your community spirit. It might simply be that you send out Christmas cards to your neighbours this year to remind them that you appreciate your community (with the warm recommendation to disinfect the letters as they go out). This kind of effort is lovely, it brings people together, and it’s no doubt entertaining.
With some of these ideas, we hope you can enjoy your Christmas in 2020 – strange as it may be.
