How to be “Home” for the Holidays!
The Holidays are finally here but in these 2020 times, what kind of fun can you actually have “together” with friends and family? This Texas transplant living for 20 years in California has some tricks up her sleeve to make the miles disappear! As an organizer, I understand how a house full of people can all bring chaos and also how being alone at home can be isolating. I’ve become very creative in finding new ways to have a shared experience that’s meaningful.
Here’s some things I’m doing, after quarantining, so I can stay safe and have fun with the fambam over the Holidays:
Host a virtual gingerbread house party- Set up a Zoom where everyone has gingerbread house fixins, build them together, and have a prize for the most creative/funniest/prettiest!
Send treat boxes- Bake easy-to-transport family recipes and do a cross country exchange between loved ones. Sometimes it’s the homemade sweets or handmade gifts that make you feel close when you’re far away.
Play games people can play with different levels of skill- Badminton and bean bag toss tournaments are great ways to get people out of the house and let the little ones feel included.
Have an at-home bake-off- Household members can make different recipes of the same kind of sweet treat, taste them all, and give prizes!
Zoom wine, beer, or cocktail tasting- We’ve been having a standing Saturday Zoom call with my Canadian, Texas, and Australian cousins for the last 6 months and I feel closer than I ever have to them! People can jump on (or not) each Saturday, one person gets to moderate/keep conversation going, and the common beverage lets you share a bond as well as flavor!
No matter where you are or how many of you get to be together, the one constant that will always remain is that home is where the heart is. It doesn’t matter the proximity, just that effort is made to reach out, virtually or otherwise, and let people know you’re “there”. My heart is full of love and appreciation for everyone around this crazy world!!
