With COVID-19 recently on the rise during these colder months, it has left many people wondering if they should cancel all their plans and skip their holiday get-togethers.
The safest answer is yes, as it is advised that you only celebrate in person with people in your household. But for those that absolutely have to travel, it’s recommended that they avoid traveling out of town, especially to places where cases are on the rise, to help keep the spread contained, avoid air travel and public transportation, and of course, avoid seeing people who are high risk.
But if you’re still on the fence about staying home, here are some great ideas and tips to help you make the best decision and keep your loved ones as safe as possible, without compromising all the fun of Christmas.
1. Plan!- Even if you’re planning to have a chill Christmas at home, planning at least the day before can help set a festive and exciting tone for this special holiday. Plan out each meal, gift-opening, activities for you and your household, video calls with family and friends, and maybe even a safe outing (like a walk or drive through a festively decorated block in the neighborhood.)
2. Keep Busy with Christmas Activities- I’m sure there are many holiday activities everyone already does during this season. Make some time to do the good ol’ cookie decorating, Christmas karaoke, hot chocolate/ eggnog bar, a gingerbread house building competition, print out some Christmas scenes for coloring, play some board games, or decorate a DIY ornament.
3. Virtual Christmas Party- We’re all probably really tired of the “Virtual Parties,” but there are many ways to liven it up. You can send out games ahead of time, or play games on the call. It’ll will also give you a good reason to get all dressed and dolled up (at least from the waist up!).
4. Make Christmas Day a Me-Day For Everyone in Your Home- Have a day full of indulgence with a cuddly Christmas movie day with the kids, or, maybe take a nice warm bath and light up that Christmas candle, or, eat all kinds of Christmas treats, or read Christmas stories and make smores around the fireplace.
5. Drive or Walk around Decorated Homes- One of our favorite traditions is driving around our local “candy-cane lanes,” as we call them. The best part of this activity, is that the pandemic hasn’t changed any of it! You can still drive around and view from the safety of your car. Include some treats and hot cocoa in to-go cups, and you’ll have quite the outing! SOme of our local favorites are Christmas Tree Lane in San Marino (at St. Albans Rd. and Huntington Dr), the Holiday Light Up in the Upper Hastings Ranch neighborhood of Pasadena, the Christmas Tree Lane in Altadena, and finally Norton’s Winter Wonderland in Burbank.
6. EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT!- You don’t have to stick to a traditional, full on Christmas dinner, unless you actually want to! Eat Christmas cookies and desserts all day, have all the hot cocoa (spiked or other-wise) or eggnog you want, dip into that cookie dough straight out of the fridge, or have some hot Cup-O’Noodles! You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen! Or, if Christmas dinner is what Christmas is all about for you, go for it! Cook that turkey or ham, along with those yummy sides, and set the table as you normally would for the occasion. Look at the bright side, you’ll have more of those wonderful leftovers all to yourself, and probably enough to not have to cook again for the rest of the year!
We all wish the circumstances were a lot different, and when the pandemic started, no one would have thought that Christmas would come around and lockdowns would still be the new normal. But at the end of the day, we wish for everyone’s safety, and that we all still have our loved ones here with us in the New Year, even if it means making some sacrifices during the holidays.
From our Town Square family to your, we wish you a Merry, Safe, and Healthy Christmas!
