With the new variant of COVID looming over us, we should expect more restrictions during Christmas. Of course, this is not what we want, especially since last year where we were locked down and had to sacrifice seeing those we love and care for.
Many of us have prepared for an extra-special festive season because we missed out last year, and if we’re not mindful, these pandemic uncertainties could plummet us into a state of depression. So, we need to make the most of this Christmas and be prepared to be creative and flexible in our mindsets.
Here are a few tips to hopefully help:
- Practice gratitude for all the small things which most of us are extremely lucky to have: sufficient food, a warm bed, a roof over our heads.
- Call to mind the above frequently, because many people don’t have sufficient food or water, let alone a warm bed or home.
- Freeze excess food or give it to a food bank or homeless charity.
- Devise games that can be played over Zoom for if you can’t see your loved ones: Twister, charades, quizzes, and card games, to name a few.
- Enjoy your festive lunch at a set time and set a place at the table for your laptop so that you can enjoy a Zoom lunch together.
- Plan an alternative time to see one another and exchange gifts.
- Consider an outdoors festive-style lunch so that you can be with your loved ones. I know it might be cold but we manage on Bonfire Night!
- Make festive TikTok films to share with your loved ones.
- Set up a family messenger or WhatsApp group.
- Enjoy a family walk outside.
- Try to keep smiling because smiles are contagious and hugely uplifting!