Christmas Is Not Cancelled

Happy holidays, Sheroes! There’s no denying that Christmas is in the air, even if we do have to breathe it in through our masks. And if it feels like more people are skipping this special occasion and counting down to the end of a horrible year instead, that’s just The Grinch in the form of COVID-19, threatening to ruin our festive mood. Don’t let it convince you that Christmas is cancelled – taking the right precautions to stay safe, healthy, and socially distant doesn’t mean that we won’t have a great holiday season!

After the heavy year we’ve all had, Christmas comes just in time to let us experience some much-deserved fun and merriment with our loved ones. Sure, we’re most likely saying goodbye to the idea of large gatherings and out-of-the-country trips for now, but there are plenty of other ways to have a meaningful celebration at home. It all depends on knowing who you are, what kind of things you’d like to include in your yuletide festivities, and how you can celebrate your own way!

Are you all about commanding the kitchen during the holidays, or are you more used to building a snowman abroad during this time of the year? If you’re still looking for ideas, here are a few tips on how to spend a memorable holiday season in the comfort and safety of your own home, no matter what kind of person you may be!

THE HEALTH ENTHUSIAST

Thanks to the ongoing global health crisis, it’s safe to say that a majority of us fall under this category. If you’re also one of those who hoarded UV sanitizing lamps, high-quality masks, and air purifiers during these past few months, you definitely understand the importance of holidaying at home. You can keep on prioritizing health and safety, but make this month a little more festive.

Why not wear masks and personal protective equipment in Christmas colors for a change? You can also share your favorite COVID-proof products by giving them out as gifts to your friends and family. For your holiday meals, prepare your usual immune-boosting dishes made of fruits and vegetables, but don’t skimp on dessert – just add powerful ingredients like chia seeds, citrus, and turmeric to make them healthy and guilt-free!

THE POP CULTURE FANGIRL

After binging Netflix and scouring social media every day this past year, you’re bound to be a fan of someone or something. Maybe you stumbled upon some old movies from your childhood, or you became a K-drama or K-pop stan in the last few months. This holiday season, you can pay tribute to whatever or whoever gave you happiness during the bleak periods of this pandemic.

Create an extra-special holiday party by giving it a theme – dress up as your favorite characters or celebrities, incorporate their favorite food into the menu, and play their songs during the festivities. You can even make it a viewing party and stream their movies, episodes or concerts. Just imagine how your favorites would celebrate the occasion and run with it!

THE TRENDY PLANTITA

The category above also applies to plantitas everywhere. If you found peace and comfort through taking care of plants during this pandemic, let your beloved plants be part of your holiday celebration as well. Feel free to dress up your space with some poinsettias, and look for other special Christmas-themed arrangements from your favorite plant and flower stores. And of course, don’t forget to share the love with your friends and family by giving them their very own plantito or plantita starter pack as gifts!

THE KITCHEN GODDESS

If the kitchen has been your safe haven during the worst of the pandemic, then staying home for the holidays should be easy. Remember all those recipes that you learned during the boring months of quarantine? After mastering the art of dalgona coffee, sushi bake, and ube cheese pandesal, you now have the skills to try more complicated dishes, just in time for Christmas!

Explore new holiday flavors and research Christmas meals that you can make for Noche Buena. Maybe you can make a different holiday-themed dish or dessert everyday – Christmas sugar cookies, homemade fruitcake, and food for the gods are just a few ideas. The great thing about this is that you can wrangle your loved ones into helping you in the kitchen as well – more food, more fun, and more time with the family!

THE ADVENTUROUS JETSETTER

For those who are used to spending the holidays abroad, staying at home for Christmas can be quite a challenge. December might feel incomplete without the excitement of getting lost in a different country, the ordeal of airport transfers, and thermal underwear for winter (or the white sand under your feet, depending on what weather you’re partial to). It’s tempting to book a last-minute getaway, but for the safety of your family, maybe you can look at this holiday at home as another brand-new adventure.

If you were supposed to be in Italy this month, for example, then have an Italian-themed dinner. Cook pasta, order some gelato, and let your imagination fly to Italy! To make the season even more exciting, try to “go” to a different place every day or every week. Think about it - you can go from the beaches of Palawan for lunch and be in Mexico for dinner! As long as you’re creative, open-minded, and grateful for the season’s blessings, then this holiday at home might even turn out to be one of your most memorable vacations!