With COVID-19 persisting through the winter, health officials have told us to prepare for a dark cold season. This means many families are going to experience a very different Christmas compared to what they have done in past years.
Many traditions, like Christmas parties or caroling, are being sidelined this year to make room for a safe holiday. I know it’s a bummer we can’t have our traditions, but this is a chance for us all to create new ones.
This year my family decided to go out into the Alaskan wilderness and get our own real Christmas tree. We set out on the Friday after Thanksgiving, determined to have what my mom called “a fun old fashioned family Christmas.”
When the drive out of town began I had a feeling this was the start of a new tradition. We jammed out to Christmas music, talked about our plans for December and reconnected as a family.
The actual finding and cutting of the tree was pretty simple. After a short hike away from the highway, we quickly found the perfect tree perched on a hill. Our whole family took turns cutting down the tree and arguing about if a different tree nearby was better.
The whole experience was like a movie. It was only 32 degrees Fahrenheit so no one was cold, and the tree wasn’t as heavy as we expected.
The point is, don’t let COVID-19 ruin your holidays. Talk to your family or your friend bubble and try to plan something that is fun and safe. The worst thing we can do during this dark winter is throw up our hands and allow ourselves to be defeated.
You can also extend your traditions to people you know are being hit hardest by COVID-19. Create care packages for someone who you know is a frontline worker or call someone that might be feeling lonely or isolated. You would be surprised how far one phone call can go for a person in need.
For those who think what my family did is something theirs might enjoy too, visit the Bureau of Land Management website. Permits range from $15 to $5 in Idaho, depending on which region you are in.
Trust me it’s more fun than it sounds, and if it already sounds fun be prepared to have the time of your life. Creating new traditions for the sake of safety is never a bad thing.
Ben Kendall can be reached at arg-opinion@uidaho.edu.