[2020-12-14] How will you celebrate the winter holidays this year?
Given how much Jenesis readers seem to like answering questions—such as What's your favourite kind of cheese?—today I'm asking this question:
How will you celebrate the winter holidays this year? In observing Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice or any other festivities, what traditions will you maintain and what new ones will you establish?
This post is inspired by a response to Making the most of the holidays; one reader shared her own take on Winter 2020 celebrations:
As for Holiday traditions, I have a few of my own like decorating the tree while listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra, making boeuf bourguignon for Christmas Eve (which I won’t be doing this year unfortunately because we are not receiving), watching very sappy Christmas movies (think Hallmark Channel) and trying a new cookie recipe. But the tradition I enjoy the most every year is reading a book set during the holidays. Typically, it’s a murder-mystery (some pretty dubious), but I’ve also read some thrillers (like The spy who came from Christmas, which was surprisingly good), some Anne Perry Victorian mysteries (there’s a whole collection of those) and some supernatural stories (I enjoy a good ghost story set during the holidays). This year, it’s a brand new book by Sarah Morgan titled One more for Christmas. It’s straight fiction, not a thriller or anything, but I’m enjoying it so far.
Another reader shared what she has been doing all year long to celebrate various occasions:
For each celebration, we couldn’t host our family e.g. Easter, Mother’s Day, birthdays etc., I’d set the table as if we were having supper together. Fancy settings with candles, flowers and framed photos of all our family members and a special meal. If there were candles to be blown out, we’d decorate accordingly and do FT to be together at the same time. Human ingenuity and a positive attitude can work wonders.
Here are a few additional questions, which you may wish to answer.
What music do you listen to during the holidays?
During the Christmas holidays, I like to listen to holiday classics. As a reminder, here is a link to my Spotify playlist (Bouchington Christmas) as well as another playlist that includes favourite holiday music recommended to me by others (Christmas Recommendations). Do you have other holiday songs that you would recommend I add to the latter playlist?
What foods do you like to eat?
I'll be making a glazed ham for our Christmas dinner en famille, as we won't be going to my mom's this year. I'll also be making homemade bagels for Christmas morning, as Chris and Shane have a tradition of eating smoked salmon and cream cheese for breakfast on Christmas day. I use this simple bagel recipe. Please share links to your favourite holiday recipes.
What gifts do you like to give?
Chocolate figures among our gifts every year. When the kids were young, we gave them each a Terry's Chocolate Orange. As they got older, we opted for Lindor chocolates. This year, we might select chocolate from a local chocolatier. What gifts do you give each year?
What activities do you like to do?
This year, I'm hoping to establish a new tradition, such as buying a game and playing it as a family or doing a holiday-themed jigsaw puzzle together. And to connect with my extended family, I'm planning to set up a Zoom, which will include games. What tradition will you continue this year or what new activity will you introduce?
I will collate the answers and share them in a future post.
For me, the essence of Christmas is letting the special people in my life know that I love them. Nothing—not cancer or COVID—can get in the way of communicating that, whether through cards, gifts, food or virtual activities.
