We all know that 2020 has been a year. Yet here we are, we made it!
Well…almost.
Now comes the best part of every year; the holiday season. When I think of the holidays it means warm nights after a long day of work, special recipes, fun crafts, bustling traffic in the dark, family get-togethers, the first beautiful snow (oh wait, that happened in October), football games, and no more campaign ads!
It means eating cinnamon rolls during the Thanksgiving day parade and wrapping presents late at night while watching a Christmas movie. It means reading a cheesy Christmas romance book on my kindle next to the fireplace and decorating the house as soon as Black Friday hits. What does the holiday season mean to you?
But because of this year, we have our heads down plowing through just trying to survive. Many of us don’t get to see our families and even more of us have been directly impacted by the world we live in today. We are closing down, focusing on enduring each day and putting enjoyment to the side. And I don’t blame us for doing this, what gives? We can’t do it all.
But it’s the holiday! And I want to really feel it – don’t you?
To be successful in trying to change our mindset with the holidays approaching, we have to be cognizant of experiencing these final days of 2020. Let’s find a way to enjoy it and try to get feeling back to normal – even if things aren’t normal.
Here are 5 ways to find the holiday spirit in 2020:
- Turn on the music and light a candle! Our sense of smell is the most closely linked sense to memory. That means a special candle this year can help us remember good holiday times in the past. Spend the money on a good one this year – or make your own! Pair that with your favorite music station and you’ll be shifting your environment to a magical one!
- Start ordering holiday items NOW. EVERYONE will be shopping online, so get ahead of it and try to avoid the stress. The key to this holiday season is to eliminate the stress where you can. Challenge: Buy 5 gifts from someone local.
- Get an advent calendar. I have never done this before, but to get a little excitement daily on what’s coming up, I spent money on a Lego one for the kids
- Create a new tradition. This Cedar Rapids Mom post from last year reminds us to be mindful of our traditions. We are mostly home right now, so a great time to create something new to do
- Find a local event that makes you feel comfortable and participate. Discover multiple guides at the Cedar Rapids Moms Blog home page or take a twirl over to your favorite social media platform to see fun activities around the area! But plan ahead. This year seems to be going so quickly and if we aren’t 100% committed to attending, it’s easier to pull an audible and stay home.
We can do this Mamas! I know everyone’s holiday season looks and feels different, but why not make the effort to appreciate the final days of 2020?
Drop some other ideas here on how you plan to get in the holiday spirit. Now I’m off to order my “Tis the Season” candle!
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