According to my kids’ daily reminders, Christmas is near. Apparently, I missed the memo. Each day, they tally up the remaining squares of their advent calendars and count down the days until Christmas break. They watch holiday cartoons on Netflix and draw snowmen in class. Yet to me, it feels like September, not December, and certainly not the holidays.
Here in Southern Ontario, everything is still green. Rain is more frequent than snow, and the bright sun continues to warm the days. However, it is not just the tepid weather that has sucked the holiday vibe out of the air. It is 2020.
Apart from the die-hard Christmas enthusiasts who encourage Christmas in July, pine tree sales, holiday tunes on the radio and Dollarama’s usual over-abundant display, there is definitely a lack of holiday spirit this year. It is as if COVID has infected the holidays. With no Santa Claus parades or mall Santa (not in the traditional way, anyway), along with less holiday-decorated homes and Christmas talk in general, December simply feels like any other month.
A simpler version
Due to the spike in cases since the commencement of the school year, all hopes for a normal holiday went out the window. Similar to weddings, birthdays, funerals and other holidays this year, the celebration has been drastically scaled-down.
The government’s controversial precautions have caused an emotional coin toss. Heads: people feel less stressed, almost relieved, not to have to partake in their traditional holiday plans. Tails: their stress levels have increased, or worse, have caused depression.
Christmas, on a general scale, is a time of extreme stress. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this out. Just go to Walmart. It is a never-ending preparation nightmare. People worry about the amount of gifts to buy, what to get and who to buy for. They stress over dinner menus, scheduling or juggling family affairs, decorating, holiday pictures, office parties, parades and family feuds (because, let’s face it, they always escalate over the holidays). Now, thanks to COVID-19, the potential for this holiday stress or depression has increased.
The holidays are a time for families to get together, for people to be with their loved ones and celebrate (by today’s standards) on a grand scale. Unfortunately, this year, we are not allowed to have our traditional large family gatherings and parties, or to travel, which has put a big downer on the whole event. Why celebrate a holiday that focuses on bringing people together, when we are not allowed to be?
Easy, because those we can see over the holidays deserve our effort, and those we cannot see still need to know we care. A simpler version of the holidays may not be all bad. After such a hard year, it could be a blessing in disguise.
I know, the people reading this right now think I am crazy, but consider this. A low-key holiday gives us a break from all the planning, preparation and stress the holidays entail. A chance to rest and reflect on our traditions, especially their purpose, meaning and true need or unimportance, which may lead us to change things for future celebrations.
5 ways to put a positive spin on the holidays
Instead of thinking abut how much the holidays are going to suck this year, try to put a positive spin on a bad situation. As depressing as it will be not to gather with those outside of our households, remember that if 2020 has taught us anything, it is that those we care about are only a virtual call away. Moreover, no big family gatherings means less expense, more R&R and just as much enjoyment. Here’s how:
Invite fewer guests
A simpler holiday equals a smaller dinner, which means less groceries, expenses, preparation, cooking time and cleanup.
Give fewer gifts
As we all know, shopping online is fast and easy. It makes Christmas shopping a breeze, but shipping gets costly. Therefore, if you’re not going to see those you only gift out of obligation, then why buy for them?
Travel less
Not everyone we celebrate with over the holidays lives locally. With current restrictions in place, this means we will be spending most of our time at home this year. For those who attend more than one dinner each year, or juggle family gatherings, this will be a nice break from it all.
Enjoy fewer obligations to in-laws
Seriously, how many of you are relieved not to have to see the in-laws or other dreaded family members? I’ve seen many social media posts stating as much. This year, the obligation to do so doesn’t exist. The added stress of having to invite or associate with people you don’t relatively like is gone. Enjoy it!
Avoid unnecessary events
Though there are those who enjoy their office party or their kid’s holiday recital, many don’t. This year, you get to skip it. You don’t have to buy an ugly Christmas sweater, listen to a bunch of repetitive Christmas carols sung by tone-deaf children, freeze throughout the duration of the Santa parade or get involved in secret Santa.
A silver lining
The holidays this year are definitely different from the norm, and like with everything else, this has frayed our emotions. However, we can find a silver lining if we look for it. I was truly inspired by how people rose above the restrictions for Halloween and found inventive ways to give the children some form of the cherished event. There is no reason why the winter holidays cannot be the same.
As we’ve found out this year, thanks to the internet and the postal service, we can still connect with those we love and create some sort of normalcy. So don’t let this Christmas get you down. Decorate for yourself, give gifts as you normally would, have your holiday dinner, reach out to those closest to you and take advantage of the rare break from the holiday chaos.
Our ancestors managed just fine without the modern holiday hullabaloo, with only their immediate family and small social circle (if they had one) to celebrate with. Back when life was simpler, when people understood that less is more; when the true meaning of the holidays was celebrated, and not the modern commercialized nonsense. So why can’t we?
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image 1 image by Vincent Ciro de image: Pixabay 2 images par Couleur de image: Pixabay 3 images par Ирина Безмен de image: Pixabay
