October 18 - Holiday Celebrations

It is hard to think about and to plan for special celebrations in this time of COVID 19. For instance, what did you do to celebrate Thanksgiving? Some people were very creative in the way in which they chose to celebrate and still stay within the safety and health guidelines. I know of a family who had a wiener roast and picnic in the park. One of our neighbours did a zoom call timing it with the eating of their Thanksgiving turkey.  I am thankful that many people chose to forgo the usual large family gatherings in their efforts to avoid transmission of the virus.

This Thanksgiving, Lyle and I were fortunate in that we were able to celebrate with our Calgary family. Even this required some forethought and planning and we were also fortunate in that the weather cooperated with our plans. Lyle and I moved out to our motor home and camped in our driveway. The Calgary family stayed in the house. We had coffee outside in the morning sunshine and walked or drove in two separate cars to the local playground during the day.

Then late on Saturday afternoon, our wonderful son-in-law took over in the kitchen to prepare an amazing Thanksgiving meal. Lyle set out two tables on our back deck so that  our two households could eat while still maintaining our physical distance. It was definitely cool but we wore our jackets and the wind had died down. We have certainly celebrated warmer Thanksgiving weekends in the past but given our current global situation, we feel that we did very well to have this special family time – together but  apart!

Thanksgiving wasn’t only about eating turkey. Mostly it was the time we spent together and that was basically outside. There is a picture with this post. It is of our granddaughter climbing the branches of a large tree by the local walking trail. Lyle is keeping an eye on Lexi and I am sitting at a picnic bench in the background. The tree is a great favourite with the children who use the walking trail.

Lyle and I are already thinking about Christmas. Yes, I know that it is still just over two months away but this year, 2020, we need to make a plan. This is what we have come up with.

If we all stay well, and there are no further restrictions to travel, the Calgary family will come again. Obviously Lyle and I won’t be staying in our motor home in the driveway so we are planning that we can all stay in the house. To accomplish this, both families will isolate for a two week period before Christmas. This will require some organizing. All our shopping for groceries and any other items will need to be done ahead of time. There won’t be any little social get togethers with friends during the pre-Christmas season. We might think of other precautions before December but in the meantime, this gives us all something to think about and to look forward to.

 Every so often I feel sad that family visits can’t be as they used to be. When these waves of sadness come over me, I try to think ahead to the next family holiday celebration and of how I might be able to make it a memorable and happy occasion. I have always been a bit of a plan maker and if ever there was a time for optimistic forethought and planning, this is the year for it.