While concerns about the safety of socializing are still making headlines, you may be opting to go solo or minimize your contacts this Christmas season. While it’s not an easy decision to make for those of us who look forward to large family gatherings this time of year, a smaller-scale Christmas can still be filled with joy.
If you are traveling this year, be sure you’re following safety precautions to minimize your COVID risk and to guard against other travel mishaps. While we covered some of the basics of socially distanced holidays at Thanksgiving, if you’re spending Christmas on your own or with your household, read on for more strategies to make the holiday feel special. This year it’s all about choice.
Change Your Expectations
Instead of trying to compare this Christmas with the magic of Christmases past, one of the best gifts you can give yourself is the space to do what makes you happy this year. If the traditions and big gatherings are off the table (no pun intended), then you’re free to do whatever you want, so embrace your liberty. Maybe that means a day of deep self-indulgence; maybe that means you treat December 25 like any other day on the calendar. You get to decide how invested you are in the holidays this year.
Keep in Touch, or Don’t
It’s natural to miss family and friends on a day that you’re used to gathering with them, but remember you’re also getting to miss possible drama (exhausting) or weird beeping sounds from the kids’ toys (more exhausting). Also, remember you can set up a time to Zoom or FaceTime with all those loved ones. The beeping toys will still be audible, and if you’re craving family drama, you can try some gaming options to light that spark.
On the other hand, Zoom fatigue and anxiety are real things, so don’t feel too stressed if you want to give the app that runs so many of your workdays a rest for one day. You can catch up with family and friends at other times, on your own schedule. There’s no need to feel obligated to pack your holiday with a full slate of meetings.
And Decorations?
Some of us take immense joy from decorating for the holidays, and some of us look at it as an extra part-time job we do in November and December of each year. Yes, there is scientific evidence that decorating for the holidays can boost your mood. We all like to see bright colors and shiny things. At the same time, take you decorating only as far as it brings you satisfaction. If that means just having a few ornaments around, great. If that means making your home visible from space, also great.
Treat Yourself
Make a plan to spend the day doing things you love doing, and don’t feel obligated to the holiday theme. In 2020, anything goes. You can add touches to make the ordinary pleasures feel special, such as fresh linens for sleeping late, fancy coffee to kick off the day, or a menu of your favorite treats. Choose your entertainment playlist in advance, so you have something to look forward to and you don’t waste hours with aimless scrolling through Netflix options.
Treat Someone Else
It’s been a hard year for a lot of people out there. If you’re not spending a budget on travel and lots of family gifts this year, consider using those resources to make charitable donations or volunteering your time to make the holidays brighter for someone else. You’ll make the world a little better and provide a needed mood boost for yourself.
However you decide to spend your Christmas holiday this year, we wish you a safe and happy day, free from stress and filled with joy. We look forward to seeing you again after the holidays with continued superior service for all your record-related needs.