How to Keep Holiday Magic Alive in the Midst of Covvid-19. It is possible despite all the things that have happened in 2020 to keep the holiday magic alive.
By remembering and keeping the traditions from past Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays we can relive the magic and spread time with family and friends. I know that many states are imposing more restrictions on businesses and public meetings but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate with family and friends. If you can’t keep some traditions that include traveling out of state or gathering in large crowds you can always create new traditions. You may not be able to visit some family members over the holidays but you can still connect by using video conference programs like Zoom and Skype. I know it is not the same but at least it allows you to see one another and share the expressions on the faces of the kids.
One new Christmas tradition we started this year is we bought an Elf on a Shelf and we are going to read the book to our Granddaughters. there is also an iPhone app that gives you clues where to hide the elf. We started a new tradition last year where we chose the names of our close family members to buy one present and set a limit on how much to spend. My favorite part of the holiday is watching my two granddaughters open their gifts, make Christmas cookies, and use their advent calendars, they get so excited that it reminds me of myself as a child and how much fun it was to decorate the tree and open presents on Christmas day.
Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels
The other way you can keep the holiday magic alive is to give to those less fortunate in your community. You can volunteer at the local food bank, soup kitchen, collect coats for the homeless, or just give cash. It is the spirit of giving that counts and anyway you choose to give is a good thing.
I have to share this one tradition that started when my son was 12 years old. We decided to have a Christmas picnic on the living room floor with a spread of foods like different lunchmeats, stinky olives, a variety of cheeses, Christmas cookies, and Martinelli’s apple cider. My son thought it was the weirdest thing but liked it so much he asked if we could do it again next year and it has been a family tradition for the last 27 years.
Please don’t let life steal your joy, if you look hard enough you can tap into those memories and keep the magic alive in your home this season.
I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.