Christmas may be a little different this year than in years past. After all, we have had a very confusing year. We have been instructed to stay home, wear a mask, and even not get together as a family at all. These instructions do not mean that you cannot still have a memorable Christmas. The gatherings may be smaller and may look a little different. Some family members may not come home or even feel safe to gather like last year, but that does not mean you can’t continue some of your traditions.

We must continue to move forward and one way we can do that is by remembering to observe long-lasting traditions. If you have always made Christmas cookies with the grandkids, then make cookies. I saw a commercial the other day where the grandmother had all the kids on Zoom and each one was making their own batch of cookies and the grandmother was inspecting them.  She of course gave lots of advice on how to bake the cookies and how to decorate them. Some turned out to be great while others were, well let’s say not as good. I thought this was a great idea and one that you could incorporate into your Christmas celebrations this year. Of course, there are other things you could do, the point is to be creative and continue safely doing the things you love this season. After all that is what Americans have always done, we have pressed on when things were tough. 

Here are a few other suggestions that may make it seem a little more like Christmas this year.

• Go visit your grandparents and get out the old scrapbooks, sit down with them, and go through the old memories.  They love telling stories and I personally could listen to them for hours.
• Make that special dinner that you have always made and share it with some of your friends or neighbors. There may be some seniors in your neighborhood that would love a special dinner when they are alone this year.
• There are a lot of churches posting their Christmas services online this year. Look up the local services by visiting their website.
• Read the Christmas story on Zoom as a family together.
• Zoom the grandkids opening presents Christmas morning with the grandparents.
• Plan for the day, have some Christmas movies on hand, a good book, or even a hobby project that you have been working on.
• Make a list of things you would like to get done and do them.
• Don’t wait for the phone to ring, reach out to family and friends, and make the call to them.

Making a Plan is Key

For a lot of people the holidays are emotional and overwhelming, so have a plan for your day. The key is to be busy and not just sit around feeling sorry for yourself. This is a season for celebrating, so celebrate, even if you are by yourself. 

Remember the Reason We Celebrate

Christmas is not just a commercial holiday there is a reason we celebrate.  The birth of our savior Jesus Christ is the real reason we celebrate Christmas. You can find the full account of the birth of Jesus in the Bible in Luke Chapter 2.  

We celebrate Christmas on December 25 as a sacred religious holiday which has become more of a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. It seems that we stray further away from the real meaning of Christmas every year. Especially this year when fear and restrictions of Covid are forced on us. Don’t let these restrictions spoil your celebration of the real meaning of Christmas. Even if we are having to distance from friends and family this year have a MERRY CHRISTMAS.