There is no denying it, its been a tough year for many! At the beginning of 2020 we were all blissfully unaware of what was about to reign down upon us. I was most definitely one of the most naive. I started 2020 in Costa Rica photographing the most wonderful destination wedding, doing yoga, surfing the cleanest, most beautiful waves and strolling though the jungle whilst listening to my fav podcast. There I was completely blind to the fact that my business was about to completely turn upside down, and my biggest concern that day was if I was going to be woken up by Howler Monkeys.
Well here we are almost a year later, having been in and out of lockdown several times over, not really sure what the rules are, but embarking on a Christmas where the "rules" and our need to keep our family safe are suddenly hugely conflicting.
So, I thought I would take some time out to write a blog to say we CAN have a fantastic Christmas. It might not look like the Christmas' we are used to, but it can still be full of joy, games, good tv and yummy food!
So here are my top 5 Tips to make this Christmas fricken awesome!
1. Let Go of Expectations
Now this one is important! Hence why it is at the top. First is first... Christmas 2020 is not one that we have designed ourselves. It is one that has been handed to us so we must bend our normal traditions a little and not compare this Christmas to what we would normally do. If you start out this way then before you have even got to Christmas you will be disappointed. So throw those expectations away for a moment, put on your positive pants and embrace this new, very different Christmas
2. Pick out your Favourite Food
This is your opportunity to go rogue. You may not have heaps of family around this year, all wanting the normal roast with all the trimmings, so you can decide what you would like to cook. That still might be a roast dinner, BUT you might decide that this year you want to eat Christmas canapés all day long and not even cook one big meal and why not?! Go out, get all your favourite food and drinks in and treat yourself, without having to cook a billion different types of food for people with different requirements.
3. Visiting Family
This one is super personal. Everyone has a their very own strong opinion on this, but I think that the most important thing is to all be comfortable with the arrangements. We all have different reasons for wanting to be with or without family this year, and therefore I think it is best to not judge and allow people to make their own decision.
If you do want to see family this year but are concerned about putting people at risk, then consider wrapping up warm in your favourite woolies, make a flask of hot choc or mulled wine and go out for a lovely wintery walk, somewhere with plenty of space. You may not be able to hug each other, but you will be able to soak up each others lovely energy and have a lovely Christmas chat (and mulled wine). Just remember to bring your own flask and mug!
4. Choose your favourite Christmas Film
Plan a Christmas film that always puts a smile on your face and agree it with your partner/household before Christmas. This will prevent those hours of choosing a film that the whole family agrees on and will ensure something uplifting to watch when you have had too much food (or wine).
My all time favourite Christmas movie which always makes me smile is Klaus. It is on netflix so check it out.
5. Zoom Zoom Zoom
Don't forget to schedule in chats with your family or friends that cannot be with you. Organise a time prior to Christmas day to make sure it is a good time for everyone. Write them down so that they aren't clashing with any other calls and enjoy connecting with your loved ones. We may not be able to be in the same space but we can still pull crackers, tell jokes and even eat our dinners in from of our family.
