For many, Christmas will be different this year. With social gathering restrictions in effect due to the pandemic, some Airdrie residents are facing the reality of spending the holiday alone.
Members of our newsroom are among those who won't be spending time with their family this Christmas. Annual traditions, such as playing board games on Christmas Eve, opening stockings on Christmas morning and then tucking into a turkey dinner, will have to wait until next year.
But Christmas 2020 can still be special. While people might not be seeing their families in person, the jovial spirit of the holiday can still shine through in other ways. Thanks to technology, traditions like those noted above can still be followed, using webcams, cell phones and apps. Turkey dinners can still be dropped off at the door and enjoyed together via video chat.
Still, given the isolation many people will experience this Christmas, it’s a good idea to reach out to friends, family and colleagues who might be spending the holiday alone. Receiving a phone call or video message when you’re on your own can be a welcome boost. We recommend our readers go through their contacts and come up with a small roster of people to check-in with in the coming days. It doesn’t have to be an hour-long Zoom session or anything elaborate – even a five-minute Facetime chat or phone call can help lift a lonely person’s spirits.
For those who will be on their own this Christmas, we offer a few suggestions to help make the holiday special; plan a movie marathon, draw yourself a relaxing bubble bath or make yourself one of your favourite dinners. Go for a walk and greet everyone you pass along the way, respecting social distancing, of course.
Volunteering is another way to feel good if you’re spending this holiday season alone. Reach out to local charities or non-profit organizations to see if they could use a helping hand.
No matter how you're spending Christmas, we wish you all happy holidays!
