We’re looking at the final quarter of 2020. We have 3 more months to go and these months hold some of my favorite holidays, some of them entrenched with family traditions. How are we going to make this work this year?
Holiday traditions should not be cancelled according to Albrecht. The holidays are important for our mental health. It is part of enjoying life. People should be able to enjoy the holidays, but safely so that we’re not contributing to transmission of Covid. We need events to look forward to.
October
Decorate for Halloween if that has been your custom in the past. In our neighborhood there are always people out walking or jogging – sometimes with children. Let them enjoy your decorations.
I don’t think there will be Halloween parties for the kids this year, but I do think there will be some neighborhood trick-or-treaters. On social media I have seen a lot of ideas on how to safely dispense candy to the kids. I plan to sit outside with a portable fire pit and have a table set up about 6 feet in front with a bowl of candy and tongs to lift the candy from the bowl. I will also have wipes for the tong handles. I hope to see neighboring families, yell out greetings, and wave from my driveway. It is something to look forward to!
November
November is a time to celebrate Thanksgiving. Traditionally, families come together for a big meal, watching sports, and socializing. This year while there may be some family gatherings, they will probably be smaller. I know that we will have my son over for the traditional meal and send him home with leftovers. He lives nearby and we visit on a regular basis and feel comfortable that we will be safe. We will Zoom visit other family members to catch up on what they are doing on this special day and to let them know we love them. I look forward to preparing and enjoying some of my favorite Thanksgiving foods.
December
December has one of my favorite holidays – Christmas. I start decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. I plan on doing that again this year. I will put on holiday music to get in the mood. Holiday music soothes and inspires during Covid days.
As I pull down my decorations from the attic, I will make note of what ones I am not using and plan on letting some go. While I love to decorate, the more I put out the more I must put away at the end of the holidays.
Usually I have a party during December. Obviously, that will not happen this year, but we will have my son over and there are a few people that we have felt safe inviting over – just not all at once. Because I will not be having my party, my holiday cooking and baking will not be as extensive, but I still plan on fixing a lot of our favorite foods.
I know that we will connect with family through Zoom and exchange some gifts by mail. The visits, the planning of what gifts and cards to send, will give me joy and something to look forward to.
And then there is New Year’s Eve. This will be for us a quiet and reflective time. Hopefully, by then we will have a better idea of what the new year will bring. But I know that there will be good things to plan and look forward to.
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