The Yuletide season this year will undoubtedly be a different one given our current situation. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a “Blue Christmas”.
Despite the events that have transpired and the physical restrictions still in place, the Christmas spirit of hope, love, and goodwill has the potential to shine brighter than it ever has this year—especially if you’re one of those who learned, because of the pandemic, that when all is said and done, what truly matters the most is each other.
So how can you and your family embrace the holiday spirit and ensure a memorable and meaningful Christmas? Here are some ideas:
Embrace the gift of giving
Besides the pandemic, which continues to affect Filipinos beyond the physiological, there have been plenty of typhoons and calamities this year that have affected our kababayans, who are now in need of help.
With Christmas fast approaching, we can embody the spirit of giving by donating money, food, and clothes to different beneficiaries and organizations that organize relief efforts for affected communities.
If you wish, make it a family thing. Set a day where you and your family can look around your homes for quality items to give away and properly segregate them together, a day where you can purchase new clothes, food, and items for donation, and another day to drive to different donation centers. Just know that your family’s effort can bring another family warmth and joy.
Spend quality time with relatives
So long as you’re one hundred percent sure that you, your family, and whoever you are visiting are well away from the coronavirus, it would be good to visit members of your extended family, especially those you haven’t heard from for a while. You and your family’s presence alone would be a great gift for these relatives of yours.
Purchase a rewarding, yet practical gift
After a grueling year that’s looking to improve—vaccines manufacturers are wrapping up their final trials with encouraging results—it’s safe to say that we all deserve a good reward or gift for surviving this year in our own little and big ways and to celebrate what looks like a better year ahead.
If you have enough saved up, don’t hesitate to buy you and your family something nice. Just make sure that what you purchase can actually be useful especially in the next normal.
A good example would be an all-around vehicle like the Honda BR-V. This comfortable and right sized 7-seater SUV is loaded with advanced technology and safety features that make it a perfect vehicle for both city driving and long country road driving. What’s more is that it can save you a ton thanks to its fuel-efficient 1.5L engine and low cost of ownership—it only needs to undergo maintenance twice a year.
Go on a quick, sight-seeing drive
With this affordable SUV that boasts of ultimate comfort and safety, you will not only be able to head to donation centers and visit relatives with ease but also make the most of the holiday season by going on a quick drive to permissible destinations like Laguna and Batangas. Even if it’ll just be a day trip, at least you will be able to get away from the usual and, at times, dull sight of concrete and welcome the refreshing sight of breathtaking mountain views, and reinvigorating bodies of water.
If you can, try to do all the sight-seeing within your vehicle and bring your own food and drinks just to err on the side of caution. What is important after all, given the circumstances, is the change of scenery and the quality time you’ll be able to spend with your family.