It’s never too early to start thinking about the holidays. The season will be here before you know it. While that might typically bring feelings of excitement and joy, it could also bring some hesitation, or even grief, this year.
Last year, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people called off their traditional holiday get-togethers and opted for smaller gatherings or connecting over Zoom.
While things are better this year, virus variants have continued to make COVID a household name. Some states still have serious restrictions in place. Even if yours doesn’t, you might be hesitant to hold a big gathering if you want people to stay safe and healthy.
So, how can you reimagine the holidays this year? How can you let your creative side shine while spending time with the people you love?
Let Yourself Grieve
For many people, things aren’t totally back to normal. So, give yourself some time and space to grieve that loss. This time of year, it’s hard to step away from traditions and getting together with the people you love. It’s okay to feel sad.
You might even be grieving the loss of a loved one who died over the past year. Whatever your situation, don’t force yourself to put on a smile 24/7. By allowing yourself some time to process your grief, you’ll be able to make room for both grief and feelings of connection and celebration.
Keep Your Holiday Traditions Alive
You might be able to bring back traditions this year that you couldn’t do last year. Or, you can get creative and modify them to keep people safe. For example, if your family typically does a cookie swap, why not mail your famous creations to your loved ones and ask them to do the same? Everyone will love getting packages of goodies in the mail each day.
Do you have a family of Christmas carolers? Gather everyone together on a video conference and sing together. Or, commit to having a virtual holiday meal at the same time.
There are plenty of ways to get creative with your traditions. In doing so, you might even be able to come up with new ones for everyone to enjoy.
Respect Everyone’s Decisions
Again, the pandemic is still very much “alive” in our society. But, so much has changed since last year’s holiday season.
From vaccine rollouts to mask mandates, people have different opinions on how to keep themselves and others safe – and that’s okay.
What’s not okay is forcing those opinions on others, including your family.
If you want to have a holiday get-together this year, be sure to respect everyone’s choices. If you’re hosting, do what you can to make others feel comfortable. Do you live in a warmer climate? Consider having your Thanksgiving meal outdoors. If you have enough room indoors, space people out as much as possible or create “sections” for each individual family to sit.
Finally, resist bringing up COVID-19 as a topic of conversation. For well over a year, it’s been unavoidable. It’s on the news, on social media, and a “hot topic” no matter where you go. Because people have such strong opinions, it might lead to some tense moments around the dinner table if it’s brought up.
Instead, focus on being grateful that you can get together this season, even in modified ways. Enjoy every moment with the people you cherish. You can share the things you’re thankful for and remind each other how important it is to be together. Those reminders, combined with the things we’ve all been through over the last year, will help to make this season special.
Contact Me
If you need help embracing the season in ways that are appropriate for you. Please reach out.
I know how stressful and demanding it can be to make changes in your life, but you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Some of the benefits of individual therapy include:
- Having a safe, confidential space to work through life’s struggles
- Speaking openly with a highly-trained professional
- Learning to be curious about oneself and become more mindful about your choices
- Identifying relationship patterns that are helpful, or existing patterns that are interfering with your growth and wellbeing.
- I offer online therapy (video conference style of therapy), which provides an increased level of comfort as you could meet with me from the privacy and comfort of your own home or other location.
You can request a specific appointment time that fits your schedule. Once confirmed, you can complete all New Patient Intake paperwork online as well.
*** The tips offered in this article are for general information and should not be considered medical or psychological advice. For more personalized recommendations appropriate to your individual situation, please contact us or obtain professional guidance.
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