This blog came early because I was in the mood to write about how we all are celebrating Christmas 2020. Apparently many of us did not heed the warnings of family gatherings outside of the regular household members for Thanksgiving. Our U.S. Covid-19 new cases, deaths and running out of beds has gone to new levels. This is not a good thing. I am not here to point fingers at anyone. What I hope to do is to write about ways to enjoy being alone at Christmas and the holidays. Whether it is you all by yourself and perhaps a pet or whether it is you as two or a few more such as live at home children it will be a Holiday season where all of us need to become more creative.
Here is the truth about Christmas 2020. Most of us are alone this Christmas and that is okay. Move on to the next step which is to decide how you want to jump forward from there. Depressed with the blanket pulled over your head? Or taking steps to enjoy the holidays with an awesome human being. Yourself! (And possibly some of the usual family that live with you)?
We were thinking ahead and mailed packages to children and grandchildren way in advance that we knew we would not be able to celebrate with in person. There was no vaccine being distributed at that time and even though one has now come out, there is not enough time to take the two rounds and wait a month. Next best plan is to use FaceTiming, Zoom meeting and Video Chats. We will watch our granddaughters opening gifts and will be able to enjoy their spirits of the holidays. Every household in our family decorated for Christmas, including us. And why shouldn't we have some holiday decorations out. We deserve to enjoy the festivities, if only in a smaller celebration.
We made the choice to be grateful for what we have. Find joy in whatever way is possible during this pandemic. We have checked out the magical neighborhood light displays, picked out Christmas movies to watch together at night, played Christmas music throughout the day and for dinner. Other little treats such as sending out more Christmas cards and then receiving more cards than usual really boosted the Christmas spirit. We have little gifts wrapped for the neighbors in the cove to be delivered with a mask and standing back away from the door with a wave and a, "Ho, ho, ho!"
For the two of us, it is not the first time that we have not had anyone else except the two of us here for Christmas. We truly can enjoy a houseful or just the two of us. Whether this is your first time ever to be alone or your twentieth...just think about what you can do to navigate happily through the holidays. We decided that it would not be such a great idea to spend the days with all of our normal family foods for dinner. So we compromised. We have a wonderful place in our city that bakes traditional foods and freezes them for customers to order and come to pick up curbside. We ordered a few things and each day: Christmas Day and Boxing Day, one of us will make a dish to celebrate in our old fashioned way.
Think of it as a way that this year there will not be a shortage of ovens for everything to go in to bake, the timing of all the goodies to be done at just the right temperature. In other words, in all respects become your own version of Santa Claus, just down-scaled a little.
Some other ideas that the two of us have come up with is to binge watch some shows that we have missed, read more books, paint or get into creative adult coloring and holiday card making, playing a few games together if there are a two or more in your household, if not? Then get on line and sign up for some free games to play. Start a workout video by streaming yoga or a workout class, making sure that afterwards, you take the time for self-care as in a scrumptious bubble bath perhaps with a glass of wine. Even play spa day and give yourself a facial and manicure. Taking care of ourselves and finding what brings us joy is important for our mental state.
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