Tips and Tools to Thrive During the Holidays in 2020!

Hello friends,

2020 has been a wild ride to say the least! Have you filled your 2020 bingo card yet? For many of you the holidays may look a little different this year. I know there are those who will get to spend it with their loved ones, but there are many like me who may choose to spend it in isolation. This can make an already difficult season even harder to cope with. I would be lying if I said that no tears were shed at my decision to stay home.

Those who are close to me know that my favorite place is at home with my family, but all of us fall into the medically susceptible category and have decided that travel is too risky right now. So the question is how to move past the tears and into a place of hope?
Well the answer depends on what is making it difficult for you to find your joy. I will break it down into categories and give you some tips and tools to rock around your Christmas tree, Light a spiritual fire for your Menorah, get creative with your Kwanzaa or ring in the New Year with a sense of joy!

Challenge 1. Money is tight
Many of you have found yourself in between jobs, stuck in quarantine, or counting your pennies in the off chance that the proverbial deer poop hits the fan. Here are some ways to celebrate while counting the coin.

• Skip the travel and celebrate from home. Many of you are doing this out of safety, but this is a good choice if you want to save on travel costs.
• Check out YouTube videos that are all about cooking on a dime! One of my favorites are Frugal Fit Mom. She makes cooking for a family of six on a budget look easy. But honestly she is one of many who can help you find inspiration. Here is another great channel for cooking on a budget: Tasty
• Hand made gifts only, using what is already in the house. Maybe it is a poem, or a bell jar craft, the idea is to re-use and recycle to celebrate your holiday and love for each other.
• Handmake all of your decorations. Go to the dollar store, buy as much crafty items as you can with say $5-10 and go to town. Could you make a wire hanger tree with close pin ornaments? Could you find some beautiful candles and candle holders to light up the night? Do It on a Dime, Liz Fenwick DIY, and His, Hers and Ours have some great decorating ideas for Christmas and Hanukkah from the dollar tree.
• Use YouTube playlists for holiday music!

Challenge 2. You are all alone
You may find yourself all alone during this difficult time and you will have the choice of being stuck in sad mode, or planning out fun ways to celebrate.

• Try something new. I decided to try my hand at baking this year.
• Use Facebook or zoom to have a virtual dinner with your family and friends.
• Plan out some new traditions that celebrate being on your own, PJ's all day, coca and movies with popcorn for dinner (celebrate your inner kid.)Special meal for you and your pet. Buy/make yourself a great gift. The options are endless, be creative and enjoy your time.
• Get in touch with other people you know who are having a rough time being alone and make a virtual celebration for you all.
• Find a charity and set up a virtual Facebook fundraiser for them.

Challenge 3. You are straight up depressed
Okay, I got it 2020, was rotten and the flying snakes and no toilet paper really iced your cake. Seriously though there are several ways to cope with this:

• Find someone, ideally a professional to talk it out with. Once you have done that, there are other ways to get out of the funk.
• Find ways to help others in your community. It does not have to be in person. Many charities need volunteers with skills. I work with a local Soropimist club that helps women and children all over the world. I ended up creating a Meditation that you can download here: Fundraising Meditation to raise funds for my club. You have your own set of skills to share and care.
• Exercise, get your endorphins up and work out the stress. Go outside or stay inside with some workout videos. Showing love to yourself, is a wonderful first step.
• Make plans for fun activities. They do not have to be post quarantine plans, they can be as small as a candle-lit bath or as big as a "When Covid is over " vacation.

However you celebrate is up to you, but remember that challenges are a chance to be creative and innovative. You can inspire the light in the people around you.

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