COVID-19 numbers continue to rise and travel across the world is still restricted. This means, the holiday season may look drastically different than it has in years’ past. If you live far away from your family, you may find yourself in the same position as me and unable to travel to spend the holidays with them. While it’s a bummer, you can still enjoy the holidays. Here is how I am celebrating Christmas this year without traveling.
Staying Home and Staying Safe
Let’s face it – celebrating the holidays alone isn’t ideal. Obviously, COVID-19 is a totally wrecking tradition. Instead of fighting it, embrace it.
While I would much rather be spending the holidays with my family, I want to keep them (and everyone else) safe. And for me, that means staying home.
Everyone has different personal situations. Your family may be unconcerned about the COVID pandemic, or you may be in an area that isn’t particularly affected. You may even find the potential risk of traveling outweigh the cons of not traveling. Whatever you decide to do during the holidays, keep safety front-of-mind and stand by the decision you make. It’s not an easy choice, and there is rarely a right one!
Starting New Traditions
The next way I’ll be celebrating the holiday season is by creating new traditions!
Sure, I may not be able to go to Christmas Eve church services, spend time with my family, or participate in New Years Eve celebrations. Instead of trying to replicate all of the “normal” traditions I look forward to, I plan to create new traditions with the old.
Instead of being sad over missing my mother’s home-cooked meals, I plan to splurge on a steak dinner at home. And in lieu of hosting a holiday party, I was able to donate that money to charity instead. These little things help make the season a little bit brighter!
Connecting With Family Over Technology
Technology is simply amazing. If your family is able to utilize technology, you can easily all connect at once. And sure, you can catch up and check in while on a shared Facetime call, but consider taking it a step further.
For instance, my family is planning to do a gingerbread house competition this year all over the internet. It’s a great way to connect and create a fun memory in the midst of a COVID Christmas.
Practice Self-Care
Lastly, the year 2020 has been a rough one. Chances are, you haven’t taken much of a vacation this year. On top of that, you have been dealing with a ton of additional, pandemic-related stressors! While this year may look different than other years, embrace the time off by practicing self-care.
For me, I plan to spend at least a whole day simply reading a good book. By focusing on self-care, you can give yourself a much needed break while still making the holiday special. By doing one or all of these things, you can still enjoy a Christmas without traveling.
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