It is finally that time of year! While 2020 feels like the longest year ever, it has also flown by so quickly. It is obvious that people in our community are looking forward to celebrating due to the fact that most holiday decorations went up the day after Halloween. Although COVID-19 may have taken away some exciting ski trips from many families this year, there is no reason not to spend that family time at home instead. No matter what you choose to celebrate, whether it is Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa, this time of year is a time of giving, quality time, family, and joy.
This year, when shopping for gifts, think about meaningful things that people truly need or want. Shopping for certain people is often easier than shopping for others. Think about what is important to your family members and go from there. Every individual person has different hobbies or things that mean the world to them. Consider their interests and try to imagine what you could give them that means something. Giving people a meaningful gift to open up on Christmas morning, rather than something completely random that they don’t really want.
Even though this virus is still a serious problem in the world, at this point, there are some options for outdoor, social-distanced events. Take your precautions, grab your mask and your family, and go ice skating! The Ice Factory of Central Florida in Kissimmee is an awesome place to get your skate on. The skating rink is pretty large, so there is lots of space for social distancing. Finding places to ice skate in Florida is one of the best ways to pretend we do not live in a sauna for a day! Ice skating is always a blast for the family and full of endless laughter. This is a perfect idea for a family day or night out during the holidays!
While we do not have white Christmases here in the Sunshine State, there are still so many ways to get in the festive spirit. Every week in the month of December, try to make it a priority to have at least one family night. Whether you bake holiday cookies, have a gingerbread-house-building competition, decorate the tree, or host a movie night, make an effort to go out of your way to spend time with your family. Too often in life, we tend to let the things we think are important fall in front of the things that really matter. By this, I mean that stress from work and school tend to distract us from strengthening relationships or simply just being with the people that we love. Put all distractions aside, and just be with your family this year. Allow the month of December to build or continue traditions this year. Holidays are all about tradition; every family has different ways that they choose to celebrate.
Holidays are certain days and times a year when you just get to live free of distractions and celebrate with your loved ones. There are so many things to do when it comes to celebrating. While the options are truly endless, choose the things that matter to your family. Use the holidays to strengthen your family’s bond. In the end, family is truly all that matters (and remember, your friends are the family you choose). Blast that Christmas music, decorate your tree, and build those gingerbread houses with the people you care about the most.
Happy holidays to all in the Lake Nona Community!
