Families around the world are celebrating the upcoming holidays. How will these celebrations look different as we continue to battle the current pandemic? Everyone is working on unique ways to enjoy these days. If you’re looking for safe and fun ideas to celebrate and keep kids active and busy, here are 10 family-friendly ideas.
Celebrate the Holidays with These Ideas
1. Have a family talk about your usual holiday traditions.
Try to find new ways to do the ones you can. Let everyone be a little sad about the ones you can’t do this year.
2. Don’t forget about your friends and family who live alone.
Do something more than just send the usual holiday card. Invite them to video chat if they have a cell phone or computer. If they don’t, call them when you have time to really talk and listen. They will appreciate you taking the time to spend with them.
3. Make hot chocolate and popcorn for everyone as you watch a holiday TV or movie classic.
Add a few new ones to your list too. If you have Netflix, they have many new holiday movies such as Jingle Jangle, Klaus, The Christmas Chronicles Part 1 & 2 many older ones such as White Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and more.
4. If there are nearby holiday light decorations, take a family drive to visit the sights.
Maybe they’re within walking distance? Gather the family for a safe distancing stroll to see the lights together.
5. Make cookie care packages.
Bake lots of different cookies, more than you ever have! Here is a link to 109 Best Cookie Recipes to Make Again and Again. Make care packages to share with friends and family. Gather the family in the car to deliver these packages to people’s porches and text or call them to let them know that the cookies are waiting outside.
6. Make homemade gifts, ornaments, and cards.
The cancellation of traditional holiday events will give some people more time to make homemade gifts, ornaments, and cards. Brainstorm some crafts with your kids about things they’d like to make. Here is a link to an article, 30+ Homemade Ornaments Crafts for Kids to get you started.
7. Buy miniature trees for different areas of your house.
Decorate each with different themes. Another option is to have your kids create tiny ornaments from clay that you can bake. Another option is to make tiny DIY Shrinky Dink type ornaments.
8. For your family holiday dinner menu, look up classic recipes and try something different.
Have everyone choose a recipe they like or one you’ve never tried before. Get everyone involved in food prep and cooking the meal. Here’s a list of 75 Traditional Christmas Dinner Recipes from Taste of Home to help get you started.
9. This is the season of giving.
Traditional fundraising events are different (or non-existent) this year, but there are still ways to give. Find out if you can donate food and clothes to your local food pantry or homeless shelter. Call a local church to see if they have a Giving tree list of children who need specific things. Here is a link to a local Foodbank you can donate to – Tarrant Area Food Bank
10. Make Christmas cards to send to essential workers and others.
Send the homemade cards to people in nursing homes, patients in hospitals, doctors, nurses, firemen, USPS and UPS delivery people, and other essential workers.
MidCities Dental wishes you and your family a SAFE and WONDERFUL Christmas Holiday Season. We all look forward to a joyful 2021.
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For a brighter smile, we have a NEW toothpaste with a special whitening formula (a $20 value). People really like it! Schedule an appointment at Mid Cities Dental before the end of January (new patients are also welcome) and receive a tube of this new toothpaste free. Make your teeth snowy white for the new year! Just mention this article at your appointment.