Well, the holiday season is upon us and 2020 is nearing its close. This holiday season will be very different than past years due to the ever-growing and changing COVID-19 situation. Here in BC, there are some pretty strict restrictions in place at this time and we are not able to gather with anyone outside of our household. Typically, my entire family gets together for Christmas, so having to celebrate with just a few of us rather than being all together is going to be quite different. For the safety of everyone though, especially my grandparents, it is important for us to spend this necessary time apart in the hopes that we can come together again sooner rather than later.

With that said, I am still excited for the holiday season as I think we could all use a little extra cheer this time of year. The holidays are historically a difficult time of year for me but I am trying to think positive and do what I can to make the most of it. Though many circumstances are beyond our control this year, and it is more important than ever to adhere to restrictions, there are still ways to find joy this holiday season.

I have been cultivating that joy through a few different ways. First, we started with the Christmas lights. We put them up fairly early this year and spent a lot of time going all out with Christmas decorations. I am usually not in town during the prep of getting everything ready, so it was nice to be a part of it this year. The house is filled with decorations and lights, which is definitely something that always gets me in the Christmas spirit. I have also been spending time still getting walks in, even though it is getting colder and we are starting to get hit with snow – it’s still fun to bundle up and go for a walk looking at Christmas lights around the neighbourhood. Going for a drive to explore the Christmas lights nearby as well is also a favourite past-time! We are even considering making a socially-distanced scavenger hunt with my relatives while looking at the Christmas lights, but we’ll see whether or not that happens. We just got a big dump of snow today as well, and we will have to see if it sticks around and we wind up with a white Christmas here in the Okanagan.

Another thing I’ve been doing recently is baking, and a lot of it! I have been baking many different creations, which has been a fun way to experiment, enjoy some creativity, and of course eat the delicious things I make. Thankfully I have some people to help me out so I don’t have to eat them all myself 🙂 my sister has also recently joined us for the holidays so we have the chance to do some baking together, which is a nice way to connect with each other. Watching holiday movies has also been a fun past-time. Even though so many of them are really cheesy, nothing beats curling up in a blanket and watching something with the Christmas tree lit up in the background. I have been trying to do some more reading as well so I am not spending so much time on screens, and I am hoping to do more reading over the next few weeks.

This year, I am also looking forward to having a couple of weeks off from work. A break was much needed, especially this year with everything that has happened. I am really feeling like I need some time to fully process everything, reflect, and think about what the next year is going to bring. After Christmas, I am planning to do a lot of this reflecting as we head into the new year. I have a feeling this upcoming year is going to bring a lot of changes, not all of which I had anticipated, and it is necessary to reflect before those changes come to fruition. Since we will be spending more time in our households this year than usual, now is the perfect time to do so.

I am still hopeful we can find ways to make the holidays fun, and relaxing too. Movies, baking, spending genuine time together, driving around looking at Christmas lights, decorating cookies, and more – all of these activities I am looking forward to. I am also looking forward to a relaxing and low-key New Years. I am planning on staying in (not that there is anywhere to go anyway!), watching the ball drop, calling a few close friends and family at midnight and then heading to bed. Before you know it, we will be in 2021 and I will be heading back to work. Everything will slowly shift back towards normal, though I have a feeling this normal will be much different than anticipated. For me, lots of new things will be put into motion as we enter the new year, and it will be interesting to see how they turn out.

How are you planning on spending your holidays this year? Are you looking forward to them, or dreading them? How will you ring in 2021? Let me know in the comments! See you all in the New Year, and stay safe this holiday season! xo <3