Bringing Joy to Our 2020 Holidays
Photo Credit: Aria Studios
It’s that time of year that we look forward to all year long… the holiday season. Time spent with fam..(record scratch). Wait what?! This year we can’t spend it with all our family and friends. Does that mean the holidays are ruined?!
Since celebrating and thinking outside of the box have become my self proclaimed area of expertise… Let me be the first to tell you, heck no! The holiday’s are for sure not cancelled. And as a matter of fact, this year is the year you can officially make them your own.
If you are ready to fully embrace the holiday season (let’s be honest, we all need a little extra joy this year), but need some ideas on how to do it safely and a way you can still afford, look no further!
Choose the Traditions that are Most Meaningful to You (and Skip the Rest)
Photo Credit: Sarah Jual Photography
If I’ve learned anything about celebrating the holidays away from family, it is that things $$$ add up! After you’ve purchased those cute new Christmas cards, fully decorated the house, purchased gifts for everyone, baked all your favorite treats and picked up that wine and prime rib for Christmas dinner, your bank account will be empty in no time. My go to solution is to choose the top 3 traditions that will bring you the maximum amount of joy.
For me, the first tradition I love to do is decorate the Christmas tree. Not only is a “holiday” activity, but it leaves the house looking and smelling festive and (for better or worse) our cats love it!
The second tradition I love is baking. Although it can be hard to limit myself, I choose a combo of my favorite childhood favorites and our household favorites. Spending several afternoons listening to Christmas music while baking goodies always gets me in the spirit. Not to mention, Christmas cookies always make wonderful, cost effective gifts!
The final tradition I can’t live without is making a special meal for the big day itself. I always take my time planning out the perfect menu by perusing holiday blogs and Pinterest posts until I find the perfect combo of recipes. The day before, I create a timeline of what I am going to cook and in what order. When it comes time to do the cooking, I enlist different members of my household to help me with different parts. Being able to anticipate, create and enjoy a meal with my immediate family makes the meal long lasting holiday activity.
These are just a few ideas that make the holidays special for me. Yours may look a little bit different and that’s ok! As long as you choose the things you truly look forward to and enjoy doing, you can’t go wrong!
Create New Traditions
At some point all holiday traditions were new traditions. This is your chance to do what you’ve been dying to do every year instead of all the shopping and social obligations!
Just because you can’t celebrate under the same roof as your family, it doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate with them! If you haven’t figured out how to use Zoom or FaceTime yet, this is the perfect opportunity. Instead of trying to get on one big group call, plan special holiday themed activities for different days leading up to Christmas. Think virtual hot cocoa and a Christmas movie with your nieces and nephews, group zoom, wine and gift wrapping with girlfriends, a FaceTime neighborhood Christmas light walk with dad. Just because you aren’t doing it in person together, doesn’t mean you can share the experience together virtually. There is no reason you can’t still feel connected, even from a safe social distance.
If celebrating a holiday in an empty house makes you feel low, get out of the house! Go for a hike, walk along the beach, take a scenic bike ride. I guarantee if you get out of the house and get some exercise, your spirits will for sure be lifted. Add a great holiday audiobook like this to help get you out of that funk and make the day feel festive.
Holidays don’t have to be celebrated with only two legged family members you know! Some of the cutest fans of Christmas in our household are our fur babies. Whether they are helping me decorate (usually by sitting in the decoration boxes), gazing at the twinkle lights from under the Christmas tree or even joining us with their own place setting at the Christmas dinner table, seeing the joy of the holiday’s through their eyes is always a delight.
Celebrate With Your Community
This year more than ever, all sorts of small business would be over the moon for you to incorporate them into your celebration. With a plethora of restaurants offering exciting holiday themed takeout options, photographers offering safe photoshoots, artists turning to online shops and or course gift cards for anything, there are a ton of ways to support your local entrepreneurs during this season.
Photo Credit: Aria Studios
Have you always meant to send out handwritten Christmas cards, but by the time you have a quiet moment to write them, it’s already the New Year? This is your chance to send something personal to all the people you’ve been missing and thinking about all year long!
Do you find yourself wishing you had more money to spend in support of your favorite local boutique or coffee shop, but really can’t afford anything extra right now? Take a few minutes to write them a glowing online review. Nothing makes a small business’s day more than a fan taking the time to share their admiration with the internet!
The holidays can be hard, but if 2020 has taught us anything it is that thinking outside the box is the new norm. With a little mindfulness, creativity and planning (and a whole lot less social obligations), there is no reason this year can’t be the most enjoyable holiday season yet!