If you are feeling frustrated because of the lack of “things to do” in the coming few days, you are not alone. Many people, like you, are feeling the same agitation, boredom and perhaps loneliness.
I hope this post will help make the next few days a little easier for you. We will explore:
New traditions and creative ways to spend the next few days
De-cluttering your list of holiday traditions
Reminiscing and preparing for the next holiday season
Staying away from social media
Starting new traditions
The holidays might not be packed with social activities this year, but you can still do activities with loved ones while social distancing. You might even be able to create new traditions.
Instead of going to the Christmas market on Christmas day, drive around town or in your neighbourhood. Look at the Christmas lights and decorations that people put up. You might not have appreciated these decorations as much in the past, and therefore might have missed some really cool ones.
Start a baking tradition, instead of buying ready-made pastries and dessert. Try making a festive meal. Do you think you would be able to maintain these traditions next year?
Here are some more ideas for the next few days:
Watch Christmas movies with loved ones, together, but virtually
Attempt a new recipe that’s Christmas-themed
Pick up new activities with your friends and do them together virtually (knitting/ making a collage/ painting/ ornaments and wreath making/ card making)
Bake with friends virtually, and do a taste test with them
Drive-through light shows
Create an at-home photo booth: dress up in ugly Christmas sweaters/ pyjamas, make your own props and do a photo shoot with your family
Make an elaborate meal with those within your household. Dress up if you want and enjoy the meal with them
De-cluttering the long list of holiday traditions
Traditions get passed down from one generation to the next. As a child, we never questioned these traditions. We started following these traditions year after year - some we love, others, not so much.
Which traditions do you miss this year because you couldn't partake in them? Were there any traditions that you didn’t really care about and feel that you could do without? This is a perfect time to throw out mediocre traditions (after a discussion with those involved of course - e.g., people that you normally spend the holidays with). For traditions that you truly value, make sure that you include them in next year’s celebration.
Revisiting the past and planning for the next year
In the next few days, take a trip down memory lane and look at photos/ videos of past celebrations. Do you normally travel, or stay in town? If you celebrate Christmas, who do you normally spend Christmas day with? What do you normally do?
Reminiscing past events that are positive increases our mood temporarily. However, if you are the type that would feel sentimental, or even sad, when looking back to the past, maybe stay away from reminiscing.
Practice gratitude (if you feel like it) for the positive experiences and relationships from the past. Express your gratitude in the next few days to friends and loved ones. Perhaps make them a Christmas-themed gratitude card, or write them a letter.
It might be too early to start planning for next year’s celebrations, but the planning and the excitement you feel (while planning) would help you through this difficult time. If you tried any good recipes this year, include them in one of your feasts next year when you can have an actual gathering.
Staying away from social media
One last thing – stay away from social media if you can for the next few days, especially if you are easily susceptible to its influence. Social media tends to portray a fake reality. Most of the time, people only share what’s going on well in their lives on the internet, and therefore it could paint an illusion that everyone is having a meaningful and eventful holiday despite the pandemic. Prolonged exposure to these altered realities might make you start feeling bad about yourself, your loved ones, and even your life.
You don’t need to know how everyone else is spending the next few days – the only thing that matters is how YOU spend it and what’s meaningful to YOU.
Hope these tips give you some ideas on how to make the next few days less challenging.
Have a safe and restful holiday.
*In my previous post, I discussed strategies to help you manage the holiday stress during the pandemic. You can click here if you want to read more about it.