The holiday season is upon us, and it couldn’t be a weirder ending to a weird year. There has never been a better excuse to stay home, but so many of us are yearning to see loved ones. On top of that, it gets dark too early and it feels like we’ve already been hibernating for the last 6 months. We have to make it through Thanksgiving and Christmas before we can kick 2020 to the curb. So let’s get through this.
If your festive spirit is dampened, here are 6 positives about doing the holidays at home this year:
- You can send beer in place of your attendance.
How many times have you seen a sign at a bar that reads “wish you were beer”. Well, the future is now and today is the day. You can send your loved ones the 6 pack you usually hog when while they’re working on dinner. Even better, you can enjoy the same beer at home when the video calls start. That way, you can say it feels like y’all are enjoying it together, even though you’re apart. Don’t want to send beer? Twin-up with some cozy merch for you and a loved one. That kind of thoughtfulness will make it into the family newsletter.
Here’s a shameless plug for buythebeer.com and ihbswag.com to deliver that thoughtfulness. Use the code “darkbeerseason” at checkout for 15% merch orders over $30. - Video calling has never been better…
You can be face to face on an HD screen with almost anyone in the world. That’s downright amazing. Many of us have gotten through quarantining with the help of random Facetime sessions, Zoom happy hours, Google meet-ups, and more. I don’t know what we’d do if we couldn’t see our loved ones, even if it is on a screen. - …but you can still fake connectivity issues to get out of a conversation.
“What’s that? You read it where? S… SORR…. Hel… Hey! There you are… Whoops! Lost you again. My internet has been weird. I thi… I think I’m losing you.”
Bam. Put those feet up and get back to the football game. Maybe call them back at halftime after you “reset the router.” It is the holidays after all. - Traffic? Road conditions? Crowds? Not this year.
The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day in the US. Every year, the roads are packed, airports are full, and your local mountain pass is covered in spun out vehicles. Yet we all venture out like Balto, lined up in sled dog formation waiting to pass the semi-trucks while getting tailgated, just to deliver the serum of mashed potatoes and gravy to the family dinner. Let’s take this year off and make the commute from the couch to the fridge with both slippers intact. Treat yourself and turn up the thermostat while you’re at it. - You already know what everyone has been up to.
There’s no reason for small talk. Let’s not pretend like everyone hasn’t been doomscrolling like it’s their job. We know what every person has done for the last 6 months, and surprise, it’s been staying at home and getting lost on their phone. - Caring for others can happen anywhere.
In all seriousness, this year has been hard on everyone. We’ve all felt the aggregate weight of the extra stress. The socializing that’s essential for a deeper, fulfilling life becoming the very thing that can hurt others is something no one was prepared for. We’re not well equipped to handle it.
Some of us have lost hobbies, opportunities, and jobs. Some of us have lost a lot more than that. I hope we don’t lose sight of what brings us together in the first place. Compassion should bridge any distance- time or physical. Here’s to hoping that this will be the only holidays from home, but I’m thankful for the optimism that we’re capable of caring for one another if it isn’t. Whatever you’re doing, make it a safe holiday this year. In the words of my favorite podcast, “take care of yourself, and if you can, someone else too.”
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