This Christmas has been… weird to say the least. I think the reality of the pandemic has finally truly hit me in this past month. The other months have been a bummer for sure, but there are way more people in my personal life experiencing the virus and its symptoms right now, and I’m also realizing how many newlywed moments we have missed for the holidays alone.
If this holiday season was normal, this would have been the first year we attended all our various family and friend Christmas parties and husband and wife. I was also so looking forward to hosting our friends for Christmas in our home. I’m so, so thankful for my health, home and job, so I don’t want this to sound like needless complaining at all. I’m more just grieving for what this holiday season could have been and realizing I am truly sad for the first time this year.
Everything is still fine, I don’t want anyone to think I am seriously struggling. But I do think I need to give myself more grace and kindness right now because of these feelings! Also, I’ve been grateful for the opportunity to focus more on the true reason for the season and brining my attention back to the celebration of Christ’s birth.
Nonetheless, I wanted to share the very small ways I am trying to create socially-distanced Christmas magic in case you’re in the same boat this year!
1. Go out for Christmas dessert
Preston and I went out to get the peppermint bark brownie sundae from Bruster’s, and it really put me in the Christmas spirit. There are also so many different desserts this season, I know a lot of people like the peppermint milkshake from Chick-fil-a!
2. Go Christmas light scouting
There are usually a ton of neighborhoods that go all out for Christmas! Try looking on your town’s Facebook forums or mom-blogs and spend an evening driving around to find them! We’re thinking about going to see the Christmas lights at Zoo Knoxville.
3. Wrap Presents
Preston and I have been wrapping all our presents together as a team effort. It’s something I wouldn’t have thought about, but it makes the task a lot more fun! We put on our Christmas vinyl, and I made a Christmas dessert charcuterie board. Make sure to check out the post I published on my favorite gift wrapping technique.
4. Watch Christmas movies
This is an obvious one, but really nothing sets the spirit quite like a Christmas movie. Krista shared 65 recommended and classic movies if you’re needing inspiration!
5. Make Christmas desserts
I’ve got a few baking items on my agenda for this week, I’ll make sure to share. what I whip up over on Instagram!
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I know some of these are ~basic,~ but I think even the simplest things can spark an idea you hadn’t thought of!
