COVID restrictions don’t have to ruin your holidays. Find the joy of having a small family Christmas in 2020.
COVID has thrown all of us for a loop this year. And now, it is ruining our holidays! We look forward to seeing each other and having a great time with our friends and relatives. The thought of not being able to see these people and celebrate the holiday can be just plain sad. What is special about staying at home and just having a normal day with your family? You’re probably thinking it just won’t feel like Christmas. You’re right, it won’t feel like your regular Christmas, but there are ways of making it memorable.
My husband is a pastor, which means that he is very busy during December. It also means that he works on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day every year. Because he is a pastor, it has meant that we don’t live super close to family. Christmas became a holiday shared mostly with our immediate family. We learned quickly how to make the best out of the situation. At first, it was weird and kind of sad, but after a while, I started to discover the sweet silver linings to a small immediate family Christmas. Here are some of the ways that I have come to love our small family Christmas.
- Low-Key and Relaxing. When there aren’t many people to worry about and not a lot of houses to visit, Christmas Eve and Day can be super relaxing. We aren’t worried about getting to every side of the family. We aren’t concerned about our kids destroying someone else’s home. We can, open gifts and when my husband is home from church, we can just relax and watch the kids play with their new toys.
- No stress over food. Food can be a stressor during the holidays. How can I accommodate everyone’s tastes? What about their food allergies? Will there be anything for my kids to eat? These things are not a stressor anymore because you’re just with your immediate family. A while ago, we started eating Chinese on Christmas Eve. For many years, my husband had multiple services on Christmas Eve. Since services are usually at dinner time, there’s no making dinner. Do you know what is open on Christmas Eve and is delicious? Chinese. Get some take-out and don’t stress.
- No skipped naps. If we aren’t home, my kids don’t usually get naps or don’t get quality naps. After Christmas celebrations all week and no quality naps, everyone is cranky. The good news about staying home? EVERYONE gets a nap! You get a nap, you get a nap, you get a nap. If the kids won’t nap at the same time, mom and dad can take turns napping. Embrace the napping and sleep all that COVID stress away on this festive holiday.
- No awkward family discussions. If you had some things happen this year that you’d rather not talk about with family, here is your chance to avoid the conversation. There will be no election break down or questioning about why your child had to die their hair purple. The most controversial part of your Christmas will be picking what movie to watch while you all eat popcorn in your pajamas.
- Creating your own family traditions. Last year, after our delicious Chinese dinner, we put the kids in their pajamas and drove them through a local Christmas lights display on Christmas Eve. It was something special and free to do. We listened to Christmas music, and it got us all excited for Christmas morning.
Regardless of what kind of Christmas you end up having this year, I hope it is filled with love and many blessings.
