Coping With A Covid Christmas
Christmas can be a hard time for some people anyway, without being in the midst of a pandemic. This year has definitely not been normal and it looks like Christmas will follow suit as the government has announced that up to 3 households are allowed to meet between the 23rd and 27th of December. For some, the pandemic won’t change their festive plans and that’s great! However, for others, who can’t be with their whole family, or others who may be by themselves to protect vulnerable family members, Christmas may be a very strange and disheartening time. We’ve come up with some things to think about and do, to try beat these blues!
Plan your day – If your Christmas isn’t going to be exactly how you would like to spend it, then try to make the most of it! Planning what you’re going to do in the day will help to give you a reason to look forward to it as well as to make you feel a little less lost on the day. Whether you’re going all out Christmas or not, it’s inevitable you’ll see lots of festive Instagram stories, so having a vague plan of what you’re going to watch, eat, wear, as well as scheduling in the family calls will really help to make you feel a whole lot less jealous!
Connect to friends and family – It’s important to try to be connected to friends and family, especially if you’re spending this Christmas alone. Having a phone call or just a few quick messages with loved ones will help you to feel less isolated and could brighten your day!
Take the pressure off – Whatever your plans are this Christmas, remember, it doesn’t HAVE to be perfect. This year has been difficult for everyone so give yourself a break! Whether you can spend it with only a few members of your family or you’re by yourself, think of the holiday season as just that – a holiday. This doesn’t have to be the best Christmas ever; it doesn’t even have to feel like Christmas if you don’t want it to. Think of it as just a few days with your select family or by yourself where you can truly take time to relax.
Have yummy food – Whatever your situation this December 25th, make sure that you are eating yummy food! After all, that’s what Christmas is all about isn’t it? Even if you are going to be by yourself, make sure that you’re still putting in as much effort as you would any other year. This doesn’t mean physically slaving away in the kitchen but just make sure that you’re treating yourself. Delicious food is a form of self-care that people don’t often think about but by enabling yourself to have nice food, you are recognising your own worth. Whether it’s a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings or you order your favourite takeaway, you deserve it!
Think about what you’re grateful for – When you’re feeling down, making a list of all the things you’re grateful for will help to take stock of your feelings, make you feel less sad and will help to give you a new perspective in the long run.
Go for a walk – It’s always a great idea to go for a walk when you’re feeling low. Getting fresh air, exercise and seeing cute dogs will lift your mood and at Christmas, (at least in my head) everyone seems a little nicer. Hearing a “Merry Christmas!” from a cheerful passer-by will usually lessen any lingering anxiety or sadness, especially if you’re by yourself and have lacked social interaction.
Meditate - Doing mindful breathing and thinking can help you to get out of your head and force you to relax. It can completely change your mood, decreasing any stress or anxieties that you may have, which is something that is definitely of value this time of year. Kelly gave some amazing tips on how to meditate in one of our past blog posts which you can read here!
Volunteer – If you’re sad that this Christmas isn’t going to be normal, why not embrace it? Do something you don’t normally do and volunteer at a local food bank or homeless shelter. These places may risk being understaffed this year as older volunteers are shielding. Meeting new people and helping others will make you feel good, improving your mental health during this weird time.
Treat yourself – Whether that’s with you eat or wear on Christmas Day, treat yourself! It’s been a hard year and this festive season will be tough for some too so you deserve to be treated like the queen you are. Even if you’ll be by yourself or you’re having a low-key Christmas, it doesn’t mean you have to dress low-key! We have some seriously boss outfits you can rent that will absolutely sleigh (sorry, not sorry). Here’s a round-up of our fave wintery looks!
If you want to rent any One Wear Freedom pieces for Christmas, last orders are the 22nd December but we’d advise getting those orders in ASAP to bagsy the garms you want! We hope that you’re looking forward to Christmas but if you’re feeling sad at the prospect or you feel low on the day, remember that it won’t last forever. Those feelings will pass and so will this pandemic. When it’s all over, you can have a proper festive celebration with all your loved ones, even if it’s summer! We will all get through this together! Stay safe, stay sensible and stay sustainable - merry Christmas!
You can get help and support from Samaritans or Mind.