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Christmas is quickly approaching and there is a lot that remains to be seen regarding state restrictions and lockdowns thanks to COVID-19. The CDC recommends having a virtual celebration this holiday season, especially as COVID numbers are on the rise in most states and outbreaks are being attributed to small household gatherings.
At the end of the day, keeping things positive no matter how frustrating the lockdown might be will be the cue to your kids that different is okay. “The key components to enjoying a socially distant Christmas is to stay positive, talk to family virtually or on the phone, and try to maintain as much normalcy as possible,” Kiki McCray of Moodly Modern Therapy, PLLC told Mom.com.
If your family is trying to figure out how to celebrate Christmas and make it a positive memory, here are some ways you can do so.
Elf on the Shelf and Christmas trees: Setting the holiday mood is key
Start with the Elf on the Shelf
Get kids into the holiday season by putting the elf on the shelf. Maybe help him be compliant with social distancing with a face mask, but he’s a great way to help kids feel that the holidays are on the way and they need to maintain their best behavior. Elf on the Shelf is a good tool to get those last weeks of remote learning focused on productivity, and you can get the elf in place before you even get the rest of the Christmas decorations up. After all, this is 2020 and rules don’t apply to the elf.
Get the house decorated
Our normal tradition is to decorate the day after Thanksgiving. The earlier the decorations are out, the more it feels like the holidays have arrived and I can better deal with the craziness of shopping and baking. Wrap faux presents and make a present pyramid in your entryway to remind everyone that the holidays are here. Let the kids put their stockings up and write their wish list to Santa. Make the house feel like Christmas to lift everyone’s mood up, in spite of continued lockdowns and the overwhelming frustration that you can’t do things the way you want.
Decorate Christmas trees in a virtual party
Do you usually have family over to decorate the tree? Change it up this year by setting up a Zoom call where you decorate trees together. Talk about special ornaments and give everyone a chance to put a special ornament on the tree. A virtual tree decorating party is a great way to celebrate with vulnerable family members who are really working hard to stay away from large gatherings. And if visiting a tree lot doesn’t fit in with your COVID safety protocol, here are some DIY tree alternatives that your kids might like even more.
Sharing gifts this holiday season
Set up a secret Santa exchange
This is a great idea for big families spread across a lot of geography. Set a budget for the gift and have everyone pick a name. To keep things completely secret, use a Secret Santa Generator and raise the stakes by having virtual gatherings to talk about wish lists and fun hints about recipients. This gets everyone involved across multiple households and is a lot of fun to see who gets what. Have gifts delivered and, of course, the culmination is a large virtual gift exchange.
Utilize online shopping
Stay away from the crowds this year and use online shopping to your advantage. Shop early and have presents delivered as needed. This will not only help keep you healthy this holiday season, but it will also help you avoid some of the headaches that come with Christmas shopping.
DIY Christmas cards
Christmas cards seem to be a lost art. Families get professional photos with a professional layout of the season’s greeting. While there isn’t anything wrong with that approach, take advantage of being on lockdown and get the kids to draw holiday scenes on folded construction paper. Make a different scene for every family you’re sending a card to. While this isn’t a traditional type of gift, it will make the recipient get all the right feels this holiday season.
How to celebrate Christmas during a pandemic: Finding the mood of the season
Watch Hallmark Christmas specials
Watching Christmas movies is a great way to feel good about the season. Sure things aren’t perfect and we’d all love to go to our normal parties and events. Instead, make the hot cocoa and get the fire going and snuggle up as a family to enjoy a movie. It takes the pressure off of having to entertain the kids every night. If Hallmark isn’t your thing, get one of your favorite Christmas movies to share with the kids. I know my household just can’t call it Christmas if we haven’t watched A Christmas Story multiple times.
Talk to Santa virtually
Razonia McClellan tells us that because she can’t take her son to see Santa, “an intimate video chat with Santa” is designed to keep him excited about the season. This is a creative way for parents to keep the legend of Santa alive and provide young children with a sense of normalcy for the season. Kids can talk to Santa about what they want and Santa can discuss whether kids have been good this year and made it to the nice list. McClellan recommends using Santa’s Club for a great experience.
