Finding Fun During (Another) Pandemic Holiday

The holiday season is upon us, and unfortunately Covid-19 is still very present, especially with the new variant, meaning that the "new normal" may impact some holiday plans. The Center for Disease Control notes: Because many generations tend to gather to celebrate holidays, the best way to minimize COVID-19 risk and keep your family and friends safer is to get vaccinated if you’re eligible, mask up and follow distance guidelines when applicable".

But, just because we are still in the midst of a pandemic our holiday fun doesn't have to be sacrificed--it just may look a little different again this year. Check out these Covid friendly ideas you can do yourself, virtually or with those in your bubble to celebrate and keep the holiday bright:

Date night in (with friends or SO):

• Try out the Date Night in a Box subscription service.

• Have a theme night where you match food and activities. For example, watch Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (yes, it's a Christmas movie) paired with Jelly Belly's Harry Potter Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

get crafty:

• Bake and decorate a gingerbread house. Check out this recipe for a sturdy dough to use for the house structure OR make a graham cracker house.

• Create a holiday gratitude jar. Put a decorated mason jar on your counter with little paper squares and a pen. Ask your family and friends to write down something they’re thankful for and put it in the jar. On the holiday, pull all the notes out of the jar and read them together. To make the tradition even more meaningful, pledge to give a dollar (or a quarter, or whatever works for you) to your local food bank or pantry for each note in the jar.

celebrate traditions:

• Watch your fave holiday movies. Make it a watch party by using a watch party app to stream movies and shows on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and HBO. A watch party allows you to begin a movie at the same time as your group, chat throughout the film and even take coordinated pauses for bathroom breaks and snack refills.

• Bake and decorate your favorite cookies, especially those passed down from past generations.

• Create a holiday playlist. Take it a step further and host a virtual Christmas karaoke night.

holiday self care:

• Take time for you. Sleep in, drive around to gaze at Christmas lights, cozy up with some hot cocoa and a book--let yourself do what feels good for you.

These are only a few ideas and there are tons of others. So here's to new and old traditions in 2021! Do you have anything special and safe you plan to do this year?