The COVID-19 pandemic as thrown a wrench into our traditional holiday plans this year. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t safe ways to celebrate with loved ones.
Are you struggling to come up with new, fun ways to connect with family and friends this holiday season? A few of our team members shared what their new plans look like in the coming weeks.
Allison Keeler
Clinical Research Nurse
St. Mary’s Hospital, Heart & Vascular Institute
Richmond, VA
During a normal year, our family gets together the weekend before Christmas. All of the aunts, uncles, and cousins exchange presents at Grandmom and Grandpop’s house. The party is around 30 or so people now with more and more spouses and great grandchildren being added into the mix. We have a meal, do a Pollyanna gift exchange and put on a themed skit to celebrate Jesus’ birth. We sing the 12 days of Christmas and other carols. One of the older male cousins dresses up as Santa for the younger kids and it’s very entertaining.
This year, we will not be doing any of this due to COVID-19. Our families are now scattered across the country and around the globe, so we decided to do a Pollyanna gift donation rather than send each other gifts in the mail. We will also get together on a video call to share where and how we chose to donate what we usually spend on each other’s Pollyanna gifts for one another.
Kara Mueller
Information Security Program Coordinator
Richmond, VA
This year, I’ll be celebrating Christmas at home with just my husband and 3-year-old daughter. Normally, we travel and stay with extended family, so I’m looking forward to my first Christmas at home in many years (since I was a child!). We will be having a Christmas Day video call with the rest of the family so we can still see each other and celebrate together.
Jaclyn Purcell
Critical Care Nurse
Greenville, SC
This year I will be spending Christmas with my immediate family. Due to COVID-19, we will do lots of fun Christmas related events from the comfort of our own home. We will spend our time watching Christmas movies, making gingerbread houses and watching our online church service. To keep in touch with our extended family throughout the holidays, we will be sure to make plenty of video calls and send handwritten Christmas cards.
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