The holidays are a time of giving. It is a time when we reflect on other’s needs, how we can show them we value their happiness over our own.

This holiday season we are encouraging you to find creative and lovely ways to celebrate that protects the health and happiness of those around you.

Is it hard? Absolutely. When we are tired and overstressed from a long and anxiety-inducing year, it can be hard to be creative and come up with new and exciting traditions.
Is it disappointing? In some very real ways! Not being able to see our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. all around the same table is disappointing. I miss the big family rip-a-thon where we all pass over presents, knocking over each others’ hot ciders and laughing at “A Christmas Story” for the 100th time. I miss being crammed on Grandma’s old brown couch, that same green, orange, and brown quilt that is in every grandma’s house thrown over our legs. We all have dinners we are trying to justify, trips we are trying to make work, events that seem un-skippable.
Is it worth it? Yes.

Yes it is. It is worth protecting your loved ones every time. It is worth losing one year to have another decade or three of holidays ahead of you.

On December 9th the governor of Virginia implored his citizens to “use common sense” when considering any activity outside of the house.

While we do not have a policy, the health department recommends that you quarantine for 14 days both before and after travel.

That is Five Weeks away from daycare for your kids for one week of travel. There are much better ways to celebrate!

Need some ideas?
We are happy to share, and we ask that you share your ideas too! But here are some suggestions we have come up with here at Common Ground.

1. Ugly Ornament Exchange — Ship the silliest, whackiest, ugliest ornament to each other you can find. Make them personal, make them heartwarming, make them ridiculous. Then pick a day when you all sign onto Zoom and share them with each other! Vote on the absolute winner of the contest, and then the giver can REVEAL themselves the victor!

2. Group Decoration — If you’re local, pick someone’s front yard to have a tree. bring ornaments to decorate that tree together. Have the person who’s house it is post up photos as more and more ornaments get added.

3. Hanukkah Lights — Each night have someone else light the candles and lead the prayer over zoom! If you live close by you can also have one person each night make a dish for everyone and drop it off. If you don’t, or if this isn’t practical, you can also just show what you’re eating.

4. Dreidel Games — you can definitely play dreidel over zoom, discord, or anything where you can see each other!

5. Disney + has a feature where you can watch together called GroupWatch where you can all stream together at the same time! Watch your favorite holiday movies together.

6. Drive Through Holiday light shows have always been a huge tradition in my family. Check out THIS LINK for all of the safe drive-through light shows near you! You can also drive through your neighborhood with popcorn, a happy audiobook, or holiday music playing while you admire the lights.

7. Writing Letters — Let’s revive an old tradition as a new tradition. Handwriting Letters with drawings and words of affirmation has always been a way to show love from far away. There has never been a more appropriate time to do this. Make sure to pick up unique and lovely address labels from our MABELS LABELS fundraiser!!

8. Group Activity — My friends and I do the same themed party every year. This year we prepared goodie bags with paper plates and cups, stickers, party snacks, and party drinks all on theme for that party, dropped them off at everyone’s houses, and we will all be signing into discord together to be “together” anyway! It took a couple of hours of driving, but it is worth it to see everyone’s smiles.

9. Group Album — Create an online album where you all share your pictures and videos with each other. You can send each other video notes, share your #BakingFails, show off your decorations, and sing carols at various volumes. At the end of the year you can make a montage to show how you were all really together, even apart.

PLEASE share some of your new traditions and twists on old favorites! We are happy to post them all. Any way we can help make this holiday season amazing, we are willing to try!

Much Much Love,

LJ and the Common Ground Family