The holidays are supposed to be a joyous time where you have a warm drink of your choice.  You are looking forward to seeing your family that you only see on Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year will be a little different. We may not be allowed to be physically together for the holidays, but I think this could open the door to some interesting holiday traditions. I have been thinking about how a lot of people have been talking about how this year has been exhausting. I couldn’t agree more. This year has revealed a lot of different things that I’m not sure a lot of us were ready to discover.

Personally, my life hasn’t changed much in regards to my day to day, but I won’t get to spend Christmas how I normally would. I won’t get to visit my Dad in a few weeks like I was planning for his birthday. I’m sad about those things. I wish COVID-19 wasn’t as big of an issue so that traditions could continue the way they always have through the years. 

I think that’s the beauty of traditions though they can adapt whenever necessary. It’s the thought behind the traditions not necessarily the physical part. 

I will admit this new set of stay-at-home orders make me feel like I won’t ever get to leave my apartment again. It seems as if  I will never get to have friends over again or go to a bar with them. The feeling is different, and I honestly don’t know when it’ll end. I know people say always cherish the time you have with loved ones because you never know when it’ll be the last time. This is still true, the method is just different. Memories can be made over the phone, video chat, or letters.

I promise you this is a year we will never forget. There may not have been a ton of events with pictures, but there have been some smiles. Cherish those moments, and keep making more memories. The world doesn’t stop spinning even though the world is on fire, and COVID doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Please don’t let a different routine convince you that you can’t make memories. The best ones are made when we least expect them.