The aroma of a hot baked cake, a shining star hung outside the home, jolly christmas carols and bright lights fill us with the warmth and joy the holiday season is all about. With the pandemic still on, is the Santa going to visit us all? Well, thanks to the digital forums, despite the changes, few things still remain the same and that’s what makes it a ‘Merry Christmas’!
With the song “It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas” on play months before the Christmas, we have set all the vibes ringing for celebrating this religious and culturally significant event. The influence of western culture and the excitement of new year mixing up, Christmas has become a celebration for people around the world, no matter what your religion is and faiths are bestowed, we all join hands in this joyful celebration that's more like a grand finale for the year-end. Praising Jesus, crafting up the decorations and keeping pretty gift boxes ready; Christmas is a lot more than a celebration. In a commercial outlook, it's a marked date for the movie release, international pop singers releasing their album on Santa and everything red and green, it's definitely what everything we look forward to, in giving a sendoff to the current year with a Christmas bash.
2020-21 is the year of unforeseen virus invasion to our lives and creating hurdles in the usualness that we are comforted in, Christmas this year is not going to be the same and we have to accept that fact. But this doesn't mean your celebration should cease or the fun has to be restricted. It's not going to be the same but no one can steal the charm Christmas brings to our home. As, most travel during holidays to be with their loved ones, the travel restrictions have made few of us spend our Christmas alone. But it doesn't mean we can’t have fun, right? The shift to zoom and online platforms have connected us with lives far and beyond. With the world shrinking into tiny mobile screens we surely can bring more life to Christmas digitally this year.
Top festive things to do this holiday season
Splurge on Online Shopping
Shopping is a must, especially in this season where lucrative discounts and offers run along in every line of business. From graceful Christmas clothing to sweet plum cakes that you share with your guests Christmas shopping is definitely fun! Owing to the present situation, it’s expected that people prefer online mode of shopping and gifting, thus letting digitality take over the world in every little way. Whether it’s you playing Secret Santa or want to make sure to bring a smile on faces of your loved ones who can’t join you this Christmas, don’t forget to send out a gift to them.
Santa Sessions live
Online Santa sessions and Christmas carol singing activities have been planned earlier and are actually a thing in several countries like New Zealand, Scotland and Ireland. Christmas bubbles were also announced in these countries where travel restrictions were removed for a set number of days and allows up to 3 households to meet up during the days of Christmas. Those who have been part of the bubble have constriction on joining any other public
Zoom parties
Not to worry about missing out the parties with your colleagues and friends, jump on the zoom or other online platforms to get the fun going. These online meeting platforms with a box for each of your faces devoid the feeling of touch isn’t really wanted we all wanted but is what is good for the situation and hopefully can bring down the count of positive cases considerably. Though places of worship will re-open on this prime day, a crowd isn’t expected nor welcomed. An online telecast of church payers and functions are a digital change for this Christmas.
A smaller turkey on the plate
Though not much of an Indian thing, Turkey adjoining the plates of the thanksgiving and Christmas season is a must for several houses in abroad. This year with fewer guests expected and travel impositions on poultry farming (also considering the lack of skilled overseas workers) the turkey plates are small and with no turkey at all encouraging a lot of families to go vegan this Christmas.
Bake your own cake
Never the less, if you are stuck in a weird situation where the only fun you could have is talking to yourself, you are wrong. There’s lot more you can do from decorating your home with Christmas ornaments to sing along to Christmas carols and most importantly baking a cake or a cookie. It could be a new skill you would want to master or just do it for the joy of it. What’s Christmas without a cake anyway?
Midnight mass and loud cool events that we relate Christmas too are off this season back home in India too. Let’s understand and appreciate the joy of giving and gifting this Christmas. Take proper sanitation and protection measures to have a fun and safe Christmas 2021. Merry Christmas!