The Dos and Don’ts of Christmas and Other Holidays
I know this is a season of good cheer and it should be, but I am here to humbly remind you of a few of the dos and don’ts of Christmas and other holidays. Kindly take them as suggestions with a grain of salt, and always remember the following statement: Everything I share is from experiences I have had (AKA my lens), but I am always open to learning and hearing other people’s perspectives. Please leave them in the comments section because I would love to hear from you and so would others.
If you celebrate Christmas, other holidays and/or get together with family and friends often, this is the blog for you. Remember to keep each other safe. I will briefly touch on navigating socializing and get-togethers during the pandemic, but the full article will be on our parentsofdragons website. Without further ado, let’s begin!
ETIQUETTE. This may be a challenging one to navigate, but you must know your family’s or friends’ dynamics by now to know what makes them tick. If you still need a few tips then try the following.
DO stay sober for the sake of your family and little ones. No one wants to be stressed out on Christmas day let alone any other day due to heavy and inconsiderate drinking. Be kind to your body and others (we will dive more into this later). Mocktails are also a great choice.
Try to bring something with you no matter how small it is. Hosts will always appreciate the gesture and it may just become a new favorite.
Try to arrive about 15 minutes to 20 minutes later than the expected time. People are always doing last-minute things as hosts (I know I do) and that little extra time is treasured.
Avoid being on the phone constantly. Take a few pictures, but make an effort to engage with others. Your phone will always be with you; they won’t.
Remember others around you including those who live near you, next to you, below you or above you. From music to talking, be mindful even when your mind is full, and don’t be THAT neighbor.
HOSTING. Let me just start by saying that personal peace is of utmost importance and should be priority number one. If having people in your space stresses you out or you are upset by how many things you have to do then you might want to consider scaling down (the number of people, food, décor, etc) or just completely stopping till the day you can do so without being overwhelmed. Besides, a tired and stressed host can alter the mood of a get-together altogether. Enough said.
If too many guests or too many meals are a stress factor for you, make it a potluck or invite fewer people. You may simply state that it is not possible for you to host everyone this year or you are breaking down get-togethers into smaller groups throughout the year.
In addition, simply ask someone else to host and be a guest if you must. There is no shame in letting others know that you will not be having people over. Life changes.
Please watch your budget. From gifts to hosting costs; you need to keep your budget in check. There is nothing worse than realizing you don’t have money to cover necessities because you spent money on expensive and unneeded gifts, décor and food.
Have a run of show. The day of, have a list that states what will happen at 6 AM, 7 AM, 9:30AM, etc. Customize it based on your needs, but it will definitely keep you on time.
Ask for help from your friends, siblings, parents or even your kids. Do not attempt to do it all alone unless you are capable and actually ENJOY the entire process. Compliments will come even when you have some assistance.
Don’t forget to try getting some good rest the day before.
Be mindful of any dangers around your house inside or out if people are coming to you. From the path to your home to things that can harm small children who come over. Take time the day before to look or assign this task to someone in your household.
MEALS. Yum yum yum. People go all out during get-togethers and it is easy to see why. However, meals can become a headache to prepare if YOU are not prepared.
If you will be making a meal, DO buy all your ingredients a couple of days before to avoid the rush and the shock that your local groceries stores closed early (with or without your knowledge) and you are stuck with a recipe without all the goods. I say with or without your knowledge is because some people are aware, but love to tempt fate. Buy most if not all ingredients at least 2 days before except for the one item I will be listing below.
DON’T buy ham early if you are cooking it on Christmas day. I am a vegetarian, but I cook meat for my family and I cater. I went to the store the day before Christmas and the price was significantly reduced. Ham in our area usually costs $36 – $70 and above, yet was $8 to $10 on Christmas Eve. There were a lot left this Christmas eve, but keep an eye out for how inventory works in your neck of the woods during different holidays.
Cut onions and other vegetables that can survive in the fridge, and prep some dishes the day before. Even if making grilled potatoes, you can cut and briefly boil them the evening before your get together. Prepping the day before is a life saver.
Finally, keep it simple and make it FUN. Your guests may not remember your expensive table runner, but they will remember whether they had a good time or not. Our family always plays games or we engage in challenges or personalized scavenger hunts. You can do this on zoom to promote social distancing as well. I previously mentioned that the full article titled Socializing During The Pandemic will be available on our family blog site, and it will be so helpful for those who are seeking better ways to stay connected. Remember that this pandemic has taken thousands of lives, and it is real. Distance as much as possible, limit the number of people you see in person and dine in the garden or backyard if you have one.
Breaking tradition is an absolute yes in my opinion. If you don’t want to participate in gift giving or receiving, book a getaway or focus on an experience rather than gifts. In fact, you can choose to donate to a charity or cook for a shelter for the homeless instead. If you don’t want to get together with others, politely decline and let them know you might attend the next one. YOU are in control of how you feel.
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Yve (pronounced Eve) is a Public Health Specialist, Content Creator, Podcaster (www.secretsofyve.com ) and the CEO of the PATESI Foundation (www.patesifoundation.org) and PATESI LLC (www.patesillc.com ). Her family’s blog is located at: www.parentsofdragons.com
