Well, December is here, and if you’re like me the new month is making the whole holiday thing a very real, and very pressing, issue.
Maybe we aren’t all in quarantine, but with limitations on travelling and gathering, it’s safe to say that the holidays will look quite different for many of us than they have in the past.
For me, there are two things that make this really hard. First, without the annual noisy crazy family get-together, it doesn’t really feel like I’m celebrating anything. And secondly, the holidays are all about connecting with the world around us, and that’s starting to feel really hard to do.
Are you feeling the same way?
I’ve been thinking. I think it’s a question of definition. After all, there are lots of people who don’t travel, and lots of people who don’t have huge family dinners. There are lots and lots of non-covid reasons why anyone might not choose, or might not be able, to do any of those things we often associate with traditional holidays.
So how do we redefine the holidays? I’ve been trying to put together a list of all the things I (we) can do to feel connected, even if covid is telling us we can’t connect in person. Here’s some of the ones I’ve come up with so far:
Would you like to join me in some of these things? Each day (most days) between now and New Years, I’ll post more details about one of these activities, perhaps a little historical background on them (because that’s what we do) and maybe tell you a bit about how it worked when I tried them out. If I come up with more ideas, I’ll add them in – and I hope you’ll share some of your ideas and adventures, too!
And we might as well get started right away! Today is Giving Tuesday, so let’s start with that one. CanadaHelps.org has a long list of local charities that can always use your support – choose the one that means the most to you and make a donation!