Every year students look forward to the last few weeks of the term where they finish finals, get a well deserved break, and get to suspend time with loved ones doing holiday activities or even going on vacation. This year, things may look a bit different due to covid-19. But this doesn’t mean you can’t have a festive and enjoyable break! Here are a few ways to get in the holiday spirit: Covid edition.
- Transform your space
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By transforming your space, it’ll instantly put you in a festive mood. There’s a ton of holiday room decor ideas on Pinterest using things you own, things you can buy, and even DIYs. Holiday decorating is not exclusive to Christmas, you can decorate for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or just for winter in general.
- Virtual holiday party
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The holidays are known for bringing loved ones together but unfortunately this year that is not safe or realistic. Thanks to technology and apps like Zoom, you can still get together without physically being together. Even gift exchange can be done virtually through websites like https://www.drawnames.ca/secret-santa-generator . Here you can do a virtual secret gift exchange and even have your gift delivered directly to your door.
- Testing out viral treats
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TikTok has been my go-to for discovering easy DIY holiday treats. Something I’ve been seeing around lately are hot chocolate bombs which are hollow chocolate balls filled with hot chocolate powder and marshmallows. Once you put hot milk over them, it opens up the ball and then you mix everything up and have the perfect hot chocolate. There are more in depth tutorials on TikTok and YouTube.
- Giving back
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Although there is a huge focus on getting gifts during the holidays, it’s also important to remember to give back. There are plenty of charities that are in need during the holiday season which you can donate to. Some companies even give a portion of their profits to these charities for you when you buy from them. Remember to try to shop local and small businesses because they need it the most, especially during the pandemic. If you are able to, consider making care packages for the homeless because they would really appreciate it and need it during these cold Canadian winters. A small act of kindness goes a long way and it helps give people hope and feel less isolated.
- Traditions
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You could create a gingerbread house and even have a competition with your family or significant other, bust out your singing skills and do some karaoke, create a holiday playlist on Spotify, watch holiday movies on Netflix in your pyjamas in front of the fireplace, and any other traditions you may have.
Although Covid has put a huge roadblock in front of everyone’s holiday plans, there are still ways to get around it while still being safe and responsible. We all earned this break and should still try to enjoy and make the best out of it. Please consider these Covid-safe options in order to keep those more vulnerable safe. That way everyone has the option to enjoy the holidays too. Support your community during this time by staying home, ordering online, and supporting small and local businesses. Happy holidays everyone!