What will Christmas 2021 look like? With that question still unanswered there are some things we can do to be prepared so we can still have a wonderful Christmas.
There have been a lot of unknowns when it comes to this year. It’s still not clear what the holiday season will look like around the world.
I’m a big fan of planning for the worst and hoping for the best. This helps reduce stress and makes sure you are ready for anything. And this year that is going to be key.
While planning early for Christmas is always a good way to reduce your stress this year it is more important than ever. For me, I’m planning as if things will be the same as they are now. If things get worse or better I can adjust from there.
Just planning for the best can leave us unprepared and disappointed if that doesn’t turn out to be what happens. We can make Christmas magical no matter what, we just have to plan and be creative.
Planning for Christmas 2021
Decide What Feels Comfortable
The first step is talking to those you usually celebrate Christmas with and seeing how they are feeling about the current situation. This is a good time to also look at how your local area is doing and what local officials are recommending. You may even want to talk to your doctor if you have underline health conditions to see what their recommendations are.
Christmas is a wonderful time but it’s not worth risking anyone’s health so air on the side of caution. There are plenty of ways to have a wonderful Christmas without risk.
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Consider Having Different Plans Ready
My family has talked about a couple of different options depending on how things are closer to the holidays. Having these different plans will help us have something no matter what the situation is.
You may also want to celebrate in different ways with different groups depending on their risks. Maybe an outdoor, socially distanced celebration with the younger part of the family and virtual for the higher risk family. The key is to be flexible.
Consider Unique Ideas
My family is talking about having a Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas celebration in the fall while the weather is still nice. That way we could have an outdoor celebration. This could also be safer if things do spike in the winter months.
We are also talking about having a Christmas party with friends via Zoom. This is still being planned but there are so many possibilities and the best part is a friend that lives several states away can still join us!
I’m choosing to have fun coming up with fun new ways to celebrate this year. While I may miss some old traditions that can’t be done in the same way maybe some new traditions will come from this. Maybe we will always have one virtual Christmas party so people that don’t live nearby can also join, that could be a fun way to connect with people we don’t see often.
Maybe even have a brainstorming virtual call with friends and family. It’s like an extra Christmas celebration early!
Related Post: 11 Virtual Christmas Party Ideas
Stay Organized
Is it just me or is everyone struggling to keep days straight and forgetting all the things? Stress can make otherwise simple tasks more difficult so it’s okay to need a bit more help right now.
I have created a free printable that will help me organize these new and different circumstances. It’s a good place to do your early planning. You can get a free copy of the printable below.
This is just part of my plan and organization. I will also be using my Christmas planner to help me keep track of all the details and not have to worry about keeping all of it in my head.
Take it Slow
Even when we try to have a good mindset around this situation it’s still stressful. Self-care is going to be very important this holiday season.
Plan ways to decompress and be honest about your emotions. It’s okay to need to talk to someone, a friend or even a therapist. This is hard for all of us and some will have even more struggles to deal with.
We need to use kindness with ourselves and others during this challenging time. Together we can make it through this and hopefully we will finish off the year having made some good memories and having grown and learned together.
If you feel like you need more support during this time with trying to make Christmas magically be sure to join the Stress-Free Christmas Facebook group. It’s a great place to ask questions and learn from others.
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