How to make family holidays special in a very strange year
As with most things in 2020, the upcoming holidays are sure to look a little different. In a time when keeping family members safe and healthy is a priority, how you communicate about your holiday plans may take a little extra thoughtfulness and clarity this year. Lisa Mitchell, Communications Expert & Founder of Power Body Language joined us today to help with that.
1. Start Your Planning
Conversations Early
Even with long-standing
family traditions, how you celebrate the holidays this year is going to require
a little extra planning and the sooner you start communicating about your
plans, your schedules, and even your concerns, the sooner you can start finding
good solutions that can keep your family feeling connected and in the loop.
Thanksgiving is a little over two weeks ahead, there’s no time like the present
to start these conversations with your family.
2. Be Clear About What
You’re Comfortable With This Year
Nobody wants to feel like
they’re disappointing their family, but in this time where keeping family
members safe and healthy is priority and a real concern, you need to be clear
and firm on what you’re comfortable with in regards to gathering for
celebrations. You also need to be willing to accept and adapt to what other
family members are comfortable with as well, especially if they are being
strict about limiting exposure and keeping their circle small this year.
3. Be Flexible And Get
Creative!
Just because it might not
look exactly like every holiday gathering of years passed doesn’t mean that
this holiday season can’t still be meaningful and help you connect with your
family in a fun way.
Maybe it’s enjoying
Thanksgiving meals together over FaceTime or streaming in a Facebook Live room
together while each family is at their own home. Maybe it’s agreeing to all
watch the same favorite holiday movie at the same time and text or call each
other at your favorite parts. Maybe it’s playing a game online together instead
of being able to sit around a table to play together. Who knows, maybe you’ll
discover a fun new holiday tradition to add by getting creative and putting
extra effort in to new ways to stay connected, even if you have to be apart
this year.
It’s not unusual for different family households to have different opinions and levels of comfort about gathering for holiday celebrations and it’s going to take a lot of patience, creativity and understanding on everyone’s part to make the holidays feel good to everyone.
For more from Mitchell, visit her website.