Embracing The Holiday Season in the Midst of a Pandemic- New Traditions

The holiday season 2020 is fast approaching, recognizable in my home by the tremendous amount of clutter that has replaced my typically minimalistic home. For so many, the holiday season is filled with family, friends, and traditions, all of which are comingled in this chaotic landscape also known as “the holiday season.” Previously, I would lament on whether or not the originators of the “holidays” ever would have imagined the magnificant amount of stress and conflict that often accompanies this time of year for individuals and families?

This year, so many of us are looking at the holiday season and being forced to or challenged to make changes to the events and holidays we have celebrated a particular way for most of or our entire life. We are being asked to take a pause from the chaos, and have smaller or not gatherings at all.

For our family, we have celebrated Christmas the Saturday before with my extended amazingly loud and spirited Polish family, complete with a gift exchange, pierogi, copious amounts of sugary snacks, and an obligatory Crown Royal Shot toasting the family members who are no longer with us to celebrate. It was cancelled. My immediate family attends Christmas Eve mass in our most sparkly or dressy clothes we own, surrounded by a standing room only full of joy-filled (and some begrundingly attending) parishioners. We will be zooming, from home this year, possibly in our “jammies.” I have made it a tradition to invite ANYONE and EVERYONE who may not have family/friends to celebrate Christmas with us. This year, I had to make the diffiuclt decision to NOT do this in an effort to best protect my parents who are approaching 80. (Mom and Dad, if you are reading, sorry I outed you on your ages…. )

So much of what makes our holiday season special is so wrapped up in our understanding of our unique holiday traditions, it is difficult for us to imagine the countless ways we are changing things this year, and the emotional impact that may have on us. When I had to make the final decision to cancel the Polish family get together, my heart sank. My liver sung my praises as I won’t have the Crown Royal shot, but my heart sank…..just a little….or a lot……..

It is easy to get focused on all that we are losing this year as the pandemic continues for us into 2021, that we lose sight of all the opportunities or gifts it also can provide us. When slowing down and settling in is our only option, what magic can we discover?

If you look at the holidays as ONLY being able to be special if we do what we’ve always done, then we will most certainly be disappointed. However, if we look at them this year, even if for this year, as a time for us to honor the differences and seek to make new traditions or memories, what can we discover?

Here are some ideas:

Instead of buying store bought goodies, you make your own cookies? Or perhaps you mix-up your tried and true recipies with some new ones?

If you have decorated the same way every year, may be look at adding a few new items or changing the location of your decorations? We added fairy/twinkle lights to our mantle and I have to say….I am LOVING the sparkly little lights more than I can even describle. Simple…yet brilliant!

Menu for meals. What better time to try a new menu, different foods, different recipes, or even catering to support a local restuatrant so you can chill with family vs cooking this year?

Do you typically get dressed up and go to a church service? You could still do this and zoom from home, in your holiday best.

Do you typcially get dressed up and go to a church service? You could still do the service via zoom, but wear your jammies! ahhhh….comfort…..

Go for a Holiday run/walk as a family.

Make a special cocktail or mock-cocktail that you would typcially not make.

Watch ALL the holiday favorites, and our family’s favorite find the absolute WORST movie out there and watch together. First to lose interest and leaves has to do dishes!

Bake cookies for neighbors. Especially the elderly ones who may be seeing no one this year for the holidays.

Go for a walk/drive to see lights in your neighborhood.

If you cannot volunteer, rememerber to support financially local chariites if you can as they have been greatly affected this year too.

Sit. In. The. Stillness. Look…really look at the lights, and perhaps spend some time in meditation thinking about what are we meant to learn from all that has changed this year, rather than fixating on all that we have lost.

Wishing you all peace and love and happiness this season, and always.

Prior to the holiday season beginning, I made the decision to leave social media for awhile. It was an intentional way to slow down, and be more mindful of what and why I am doing specific things in my life. Previously I would post my blogs on social media, and now do not have that outlet. Hoping whoever needs to read this, will have that opoprutnity and it will bring you some peace and hope for a better 2021. If you are reading, please share with others or post if you are part of the social media community, as my writing is as much a part of my own inner work as it is my hope it will somehow help others as we journey together through this thing called….life.