Originally posted on Baton Rouge Parents magazine blog.
2020 has been a year we didn’t expect, so a Christmas that looks different will fit right in.
In this upside down season in an upside down time, some of the Walker
family’s holiday traditions can remain intact. I’m not entirely
bah-humbug and am looking forward to making at least some sparkly magic
with my girls at the end of this unbelievable year.
One thing we love to do each year, which is on-brand with my goal of raising readers,
is open a Christmas-themed children’s book each night in December
leading up to the big day. 2019 Mari did 2020 Mari a solid by wrapping
them–all 48, because although my girls will share, it’s really hard to
watch someone else open a gift, even reopening the same book for the
fifth or tenth time. To wrap, I used tissue paper sourced from
after-Christmas clearance (see you again in 2021, I hope), so all I have
to do is get out the wrapped books, put them in a basket and let both
girls pick one each night.
I go a little nuts with the Advent calendars in general–I have the
99-cent ones from Trader Joe’s with chocolate, Melissa & Doug
countdown-to-Christmas trees with magnet ornaments (two again, because
the who-puts-the-ornament-on-today was exhausting and I got a deal), and
because 2020 has sucked, I got them each a character Advent calendar
(LEGO Harry Potter for nine year old and Doorables for four year old).
I’ve decided not to fill the Arendelle castle calendars we used last
year (without realizing they were empty when I bought them!), but I’ll
keep them in case we want to re-fill them in future years. Elsa &
Anna are always in style at our house.
Of course we decorate the house with a tree, wreath, stockings, garland
and twinkly lights, wear matching jams, watch classic holiday movies and
shows together, and although we don’t celebrate Santa
the way many families do, we will make cookies and other treats, just
like we would any “normal” year. Plenty of Christmas crafting happens,
and I know that will continue this year. I might even break and allow
glitter! And our annual dressed-up-in-front-of- the-tree family photo
with the camera and timer will definitely happen!
But other traditions will give way to something else, something new; something smaller but certainly not less.
Christmas Eve may look like the four of us worshiping along with a video
rather than the girls dressed up as animals in the barn for the “live”
nativity in our church’s sanctuary. We will still worship. We won’t
welcome house guests or travel to see family this year. We will still
offer hospitality by staying home to protect the health of those we love
and even those we don’t know. We’ll also have an amazing Christmas
dinner for just the four of us, and we’ll be sure to share our abundance
with our church’s incredible food ministry and its Great Turkey
Giveaway on December 19.
A different, smaller holiday season, a smaller celebration won’t have to
diminish the wonder and joy that can come from preparing for and
celebrating Christmas. Stripping things down could perhaps give us new
vision, allowing us to experience the season in entirely new ways as our
hearts are cracked open one more time.
What are some of your favorite holiday or winter traditions? How will
you adapt your season to fit with COVID-19 best practices and
restrictions? Any ideas for new traditions we might consider adding to
our list?