Undoubtedly, this will be a holiday season to remember, whether for good or bad! We might not all agree on how to spend our celebrations (with some people distancing completely, others grouping into small pods, and others carrying on as usual), but we can all find ways to make the best of an odd year and bring a little joy to the season. All it takes is a little creativity.

If you’re looking for crowd-pleasing ways to bring people together this year, here are seven suggestions that are socially distant AND will get the entire family involved:

1. Socially Safe Potluck

No matter how strict (or not) your group decides to be, you can choose to host a “socially safe” potluck. Assign everyone a dish and instruct them to make enough to share with a crowd. Then, set up a table in your driveway or garage where people can place their food. If you’re eating outdoors or in the garage, dish up! If you decide you’d rather take a portion of each dish and dine in your own homes, that’s great too. If your group decides to choose the second route, it may be easier to dish up your cooked creations ahead of time into Tupperware containers or foiled-wrapped plates, so others can easily pick up their portions.

2. Cookie Swap

Following the same rules as the socially safe potluck, you may decide to host a cookie swap instead. Either eat the cookies as a group or take them home to enjoy. As a bonus (especially if the event is outdoors), you might also serve a warm beverage, like hot cocoa, apple cider, or (for adults) hot toddys or mulled wine. If everyone chooses to take their cookies home, it might be fun to share pictures of you and your family enjoying them.

3. Long-Distance Baking “Competition”

Are you a fan of the Great British Baking Show? If so, why not host your own version! For a socially-distanced take on the GBBS, recruit some of your friends or family members who enjoy baking and have everyone make the same recipe (OR something similar, such as any type of pie or a batch of holiday-themed cookies). Then, have them self-judge their bake in terms of appearance, taste, texture, etc. Be sure to share pictures of your baked goods and/or host a Zoom meeting, where you and your friends chat and eat your homemade treats.

4. Craft Snow Sculptures

One family-friendly way to enjoy the holidays is to create snow sculptures together. You could have a friendly competition (the person with the most creative sculpture gets an extra dessert!), create a theme (snowman self-portraits, woodland animals, etc.), or simply make whatever comes to mind. If you want to spread the love, you might also make snow sculptures in the yard of a favorite relative or friend (bonus points if that person lives alone and could use a little cheering up this holiday season).

5. Go Caroling

If your family is musically inclined, you could go caroling at the homes of friends and family members. Even if you’re not quite the Von Trapp family singers, others will enjoy your musical surprise. It’s a long-lost Christmas tradition that is sure to brighten others’ days.

6. View Light Displays

One great way to keep socially distant and still enjoy the holidays is to drive around and view the holiday lights. Some people are going all-out this year, knowing that this will be a popular activity. If you’re not sure where to go, try a quick online search or look for posts on neighborhood forums. If you have trouble finding information, make a post on NextDoor or Facebook, asking for advice on where to go.

7. Write Letters

Remember the good old days when we used to write letters? Well, maybe you don’t, but I certainly do! Writing letters is a lost art, and now is the perfect time to bring it back. Think of the people who have touched your life in some way—I’m sure there are many—and make a list of who you would like to send a letter to. These letters don’t have to be long and elaborate (although they could be!). The important thing is that they’re heartfelt and hand-written. Even if you’ve fallen out of touch with some of the people on your list, I’m certain they will be pleasantly surprised to hear from you.

 

There’s no need to be a grinch this holiday season! Get a little creative, involve your family, and help make the season bright.

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