How to Still Enjoy the Holiday Season in 2020

By: Making it in Manhattan Writer

As if the holidays weren’t stressful enough, we now get to experience them during a pandemic. Whether you’re staying by yourself in the city or making the trek home to your parents’ house, we’re here to help you navigate the holidays with some ideas to make them more enjoyable and set you up for success in the new year.

Make a plan

If you’ve sat through a Zoom graduation or work happy hour this year, you know that Zoom calls with no agenda can be a bit awkward and boring. A virtual holiday will be the same if you don’t take the time for a little extra planning. Gather ingredients and cook a family recipe at the same time over Zoom or download an app for a virtual game to play. An accessible activity for family members across the country to partake in can help everyone avoid awkward silences and questions. Now when Aunt Mary asks why you’re still single, you can ignore the question by informing everyone that the potatoes could use more salt.

If you are traveling or someone is visiting you, make a plan that allows for the necessary precautions and enough time to quarantine to get together safely. If you’re staying with relatives for an extended period of time, do your best to carve out space in their home so you can still work, relax, and take a break from family when you need to.

Work with the mail

With fewer people traveling for the holidays, post and delivery services will be swamped. Instead of paying crazy amounts for overnight shipping and praying for no delays, get your online shopping out of the way as soon as possible - a ton of stores have already started Black Friday! You can also try to be more flexible with gift-giving and ask your friends and family to open the gift whenever they get them. By removing the restrictions of opening gifts on Christmas Day or a specific night of Hanukkah, you don’t have to constantly refresh the tracking page and your gift is ready to be enjoyed right when it arrives at its destination, whether it’s November or January. It is called the holiday season after all!

Treat yourself to a home upgrade

After spending so much time at home, many of us are starting to notice the flaws in our spaces. A less-busy holiday season (and all of the money you saved from not going out) means you can finally address these problems. If you’re a renter, commit to a standing desk to get some movement in during the workday or upgrade your mattress for a better night's sleep. Ask your super to tackle the repairs you’ve been putting off since you both have the time now! If you own your place, appliance upgrades or a new AC unit can set you up for next year. Even something really adult-like getting a warranty for your older appliances means less stress when they decide to break in the new year. For smaller budgets, rearranging your space or redecorating your bedroom can be the difference between feeling trapped or comfortable at home.

Take your PTO like normal

As tempting as it is to just get ahead on work when nothing is going on, use your time off. Spend a day in bed watching holiday movies or take a walk to see the iconic Christmas locations of New York (with fewer crowds!). If you don’t feel like doing anything holiday-related, just take a mental health day to relax or get organized for the new year.

Say ‘no’ if you have to

The holidays are usually a whirlwind of parties and dinners, spending quality time with family and catching up with old friends. It was stressful enough to juggle everything before the pandemic, but now there is the added anxiety of staying smart and safe. If you struggle with FOMO and are desperate for some social interaction, use logic when deciding what events to attend and always consider COVID restrictions and guidelines. If you’d prefer to stay home for the entire holiday season, don’t let anyone guilt you for putting safety first. Saying “no” is definitely an art form, but there are tips to make it easier, along with practice.

Regardless of where you spend the holidays, there is no doubt this will be a year we will all remember. Take the time and care to make them as enjoyable as possible while staying safe and sane!