Staying safe this holiday season doesn’t mean you and your children can’t enjoy yourselves. With a little tweaking and creative thought, there are ways to celebrate safely so the holidays are fun and memorable for everyone involved.
“It’s important to try to avoid dwelling on the things we aren’t able to change and instead think about what we can do to make the holidays special,” says Dr. Lucretia Carter, a pediatrician with Tidelands Health Pediatrics. “This is the time of year when families normally get together, share meals and spend quality time with each other. With some creativity, we can still do some of those things, but we may have to approach them a bit differently.”

With COVID-19 hospitalizations at record levels, Tidelands Health, our region’s leader in COVID-19 response, is urging community members to celebrate the holidays safely at home with people from their own household and avoid large in-person gatherings.
Although it’s natural to feel disappointed about changes to your holiday traditions, reframing the situation in your mind can help, Dr. Carter says. Try to see change as an opportunity to start a new tradition or connect with people in a different way.

By encouraging your children to take a similar approach, you can make the holidays fun and memorable.
“Kids and parents alike look forward to the holidays because it’s a time to see loved ones and friends, so not being to do those things can create sadness,” Dr. Carter says. “As parents, it’s important to acknowledge those feelings with your children and reassure them there are ways to make the holidays special.”

Here are 10 fun ways to make the holidays memorable this year:

• Have your children help prepare and decorate gingerbread cookies, then drop them off as a family on the doorstep of a loved one or friend.
• Eat a festive meal with loved ones via video chat.
• Organize a virtual “ugly” holiday sweater contest.
• Make homemade gifts or decorate Christmas cards for family and friends.
• Drive or stroll through neighborhoods to take in holiday light displays.
• Make the most of mask wearing. Get together with the kids and decorate masks in festive themes.
• Hide treats around the house for your kids and have grandparents read clues via video chat to help the kids find them.
• Plan a slumber party around the Christmas tree. Make popcorn and hot chocolate and nestle in sleeping bags while you watch a holiday movie together as a family.
• Arrange a virtual visit with Santa Claus on the computer. Several online services are available.
• Host a video chat with grandparents on Christmas morning to open gifts together. 

“Although the pandemic may change the way your family celebrates the holidays this year, the new ideas you incorporate could end up becoming part of your family’s holiday tradition,” Dr. Carter adds. “If nothing else, they can add a lot of joy and make this year’s holiday season memorable and fun.”