SIMPLE PANDEMIC CHRISTMAS

If you have been wishing to simplify Christmas for years but never got around doing so, I believe that in keeping with this pandemic, this year maybe the best time to modify the tradition. 

Oftentimes we are overwhelmed with Christmas in our attempt to achieve what Kristine at itsmyfavoriteday.com calls  “our preconcieved Christmas perfection”.   But the hassle is leaving us drained and exhausted when we should be joyous and happy during the most wonderful time of the year. 

This is what I think would make a simple pandemic Christmas. 

Decoration

Let us keep our decorations minimal.  Just choose a room to decorate; not every nook and cranny of our home.  It could be the living room where we set up the tree and hang the stockings.  Or we can decorate the front porch;  but we don’t a porch so I just decorated the front door. 

Gifts?  

This year we seem to be limited to on line  shopping.  Why weather the crowds in Divisoria or rush to shops and malls for gifts when it is risky to expose ourselves to big crowds?  Why not limit gift giving only to people we are likely to encounter this season, like friends and family nearby. 

Activities

Nowadays out of town trips are out; buffet dinner in a hotel is risky which leaves us with family activities in our homes. Sing Christmas carols while someone plays the piano.  Board games, anyone?  Netflix? 

Bar hopping? Yeah, possible!  Prepare a charcuterie board, glasses and drinks in every room and change rooms after every drink.  Fun, right? 

Zoom, facetime, viber with family abroad?  Sure, on Christmas Eve.  For other relatives we schedule that between Christmas and New Year days when lines are not too busy. 

 

Food:

Simplify the menu, let’s minimized food this year.  This pandemic made a lot of people hungry that it would be sensible to forget a Christmas table over-flowing with food.  Perhaps two main courses will do and dessert maybe store bought.  Remember, we are not expecting guests. No gatherings, parties or reunions, right?  

Want to try doing the above?  It may work , you know.   Hopefully next year, we can look back to find that Christmas is not as overwhelming and stressful as it has been in earlier years.   We may even realize that being with family is what truly makes Christmas. 

From this experience, we can come up with a better Christmas celebration next year if we incorporate what made sense and add them to the usual traditions that are meaningful to the whole family. 

Finally, think of what is important during Christmas, let us be grateful as we commemorate the Birth of Our Lord Who was sent to redeem us. 

And oh yes!  Don’t forget the memories, take pictures. Send them to family and relatives abroad. 

2020 vALNA KRIS KRINGLE

Look below what I got on the first day of the VALNA Kris Kringle!  VALNA (Victor A Lim Neighborhood Association).  Something round is the gift for today, the first Friday of Secret Santa.  Something sweet, then something soft for the following  two Fridays

When this dynamic and moving couple , Edward and Lyanne, who live across the street from us proposed a Valna Kris Kringle, I immediately signed up.  The whole family were invited to join, the more, the merrier, as they say. 

 It is just the right distraction from our pandemic routine.  I know that it will provide a bit of excitement among the neighbors.   And hopefully this will start December to jingle all the way to Christmas. 

Since the lockdown in March, the VALNA Neighbors have been constantly communicating and networking without   face to face interaction.  Communication was made easier with nessenger.  

This is our 5th Christmas in the neighborhood and I find the pioneers very welcoming and supportive. They immediately included us in the chat group as well as in other activites.  

But the lockdown has shrank our world that we can only turn to our neighbors.  It is a blessing in disguise in this regard because I got really acquainted with most of them.  

So this Kris Kringle is a fun way of "socializing" with you, my neighbors.  Let’s be childlike and enjoy the surprises and the fun that this activity will bring.  Being 75, 80, 20 or  otherwise will not hinder us in finding joy through a kid’s perspective. 

For this exercise the organizers used an App, we just "RSVP-Ed" online to signify our participation and indicated our home addresses to facilitate delivery of gifts. 

The App randomly assigned each one a gift recipient.  On the same link, one may mark his wish list for the final gift on Christmas Day, though givers may also get the gifts elsewhere.  The giver will personally deliver this final gift for the great reveal. 

The organizers pegged the final gift at 5USD and encouraged everyone to stick to this spending limit.    What can five dollars buy? You ask me.   Looks like nothing, right?  But converted to pesos, it can be a bit significant.  Besides, we should not expect a significant gift, it’s  just for fun, isn’t it?   I believe that this is where our creativity will come in handy. 

A neighbor was at a loss yesterday not knowing the approximate age of her recipent.  I believe she just wanted to ensure that her gift fits.  Then there was the suggestion to post our wishlists in the open but in the end the concensus was to keep the element of surprise. Why kill the fun?

 

Earlier on the same day I got an email looking for clues, asking what my drink is;  coffee, tea or chocolate?  Definitely coffee.  Next secret Q & A: what are my 3 beauty products must haves?  Rose hip oil, face cream brush and day cream SPF 50. 

So the App works! Anyone can do that too. 

I guess everyone is feeling a bit excited and like me, we are all looking forward to more little surprises on this Kris Kringle.   Hopefully, pandemic notwithstanding, we will have ourselves a merry little Christmas after all.  

And on Christmas Eve while we gather with family, we can even dance to the tune of "Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree".