Today Thursday 24th December 2020 is Christmas Eve and if you are in regions where COVID-19 restrictions are in full swing, these tips will help you still have a great day.
First, you have to understand that Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Thus, to be a part of this big celebration you don’t have to wait until the evening or midnight.
This is important because many countries where COVID-19 infections are rising have put curfews in place. You can still have a wonderful Christmas Eve without breaking curfew and spending Christmas Day in a tussle with the local law.
Now that you know that your celebrations can start as early as possible, you are off to a good start. See tips on how to enjoy Christmas Eve even amidst COVID-19 restrictions.
Tips on how to enjoy Christmas Eve
1. Christmas tree
Buy a Christmas tree and spend the day decorating it. If you and your loved ones prefer to spend the day with each other, this would be a fun activity. You can start the day by picking a spot for shopping for your Christmas tree.
After you acquire it, the next thing is crafting decorations and then adorning the tree. It is important that everyone is on the same page on how the day will go, otherwise, others may end up not feeling as satisfied as their loved ones.
The best way to turn what seems to be a chore into a fun activity is to work as a team and reach decisions only after discussing it with every other person in the group. You need to be cautious about shopping for Christmas on Christmas Eve because many people are making last-minute purchases as well and tempers have been known to flare up.
2. Giving gifts
If you have already covered the decorations aspect of the Christmas season, you can choose to give gifts on Christmas Eve. In fact, this is one of the most widely accepted ways to spend the day.
But you don’t have to stop at giving gifts to only friends and family. This is because, when you give gifts to your friends and family, they may give you one in return; more like exchanging gifts. Why not give gifts to people who cannot give you something in return?
Perhaps you could visit an orphanage or (if COVID-19 restrictions do not discourage this), donate to the needy in your local community or even volunteer to serve in a welfare shelter. This will surely leave you feeling fulfilled at the end of the day.
3. Movie therapy
For those who have worked so hard all year round and feel like just relaxing on Christmas Eve, why not consider movie therapy? This will require a little bit of planning but not to worry, many streaming sites have got this aspect covered for you.
See also: How Pope Francis plans to celebrate Christmas as cardinals test positive for COVID-19
Christmas Eve movie recommendations are so many that you may be faced with a hard decision. We suggest that you either re-watch old Christmas movies or if you want to try out new ones; go for the cheesiest and most clichéd romance Christmas movies out there.
This will help you avoid doing the mental gymnastics that come with thriller movies and action movies. There will be time for these movies but they have no place on Christmas Eve to-do activities.
You could also use this opportunity to finish that book you just added to your collection.
4. Office party
Sadly, some people still have to work on Christmas Eve. The reasons may range from the fact that they provide services important for the holiday season to many other reasons. But, working on this day does not mean you have to miss out on all the fun.
Plan an office party that still allows you to have a good time while you are at work. This may require a high level of planning and precautions but office parties are usually good. They allow co-workers to bond more effectively and get to know each other better.
5. House party
This tip is strictly for people who are in quarantine (but everyone can benefit from it). If you cannot leave home, why not have the fun in-house. Throw a house party! If you have housemates or quarantine-mates, the merrier.
Source for fun activities that will be incorporated as part of the enjoyment. Board and several in-doors games are good ideas. Christmas Eve should be enjoyed and you should allow nothing to stop you unless someone’s well-being is at stake.
6. Cook up a lot of things
If you don’t know how to cook, this makes the suggestion even more fun; learn it. The day stretches for hours and hours and you can go from a cereal-eating person to a master chef whipping up an incredible meal.
Spend Christmas Eve cooking for yourself, for friends, for family and the community (if you feel up to it). Parents can also use the opportunity to teach their children this important life skill as well.
Cooking may be a chore but on this special day, you can turn it into a fun activity. Try out recipes and cook something that you can go months without eating.
7. Try something new…
You may have tried all the suggestions above in previous years, so try something new. In 2020, Christmas Eve could be your day to go on an adventure, it could be as daring as you attending your first Christmas mass in years or something as less daring as a mountain hike.
Whatever it is, if you find that your Christmas Eve has been a repetition of things you do already, go out of your way; do something new, something daring.
Movie therapy for me
House party it is.