By Bailey Gammell
So the holidays this year are definitely...weird. Due to the circumstances with COVID, our Christmas traditions and family gatherings are being cancelled or altered in some way. For many people (me included), the holidays are a somewhat hectic but joyful time of year, and having COVID continue into December seems to be robbing this otherwise difficult year of its happiest time. Our past traditions are absent this year, leaving what feels like a void in our lives.
However, like in the How the Grinch Stole Christmas story, the aesthetics and traditions of Christmas may be taken away from us, but that doesn’t mean our holidays have to be ruined. If we take the time to purposefully enjoy our holidays by savoring what we do have, we can make this holiday—and any other holiday—more special and meaningful.
In our Savoring Module, we explain many strategies for how we can stop and smell the proverbial roses in our lives. Savoring is just the simple act of immersing ourselves in the moment; there are endless possibilities for how we can apply that to our lives. Specifically for this time of year, there are many special things about the holidays we don’t often experience. Savoring those times will help us appreciate the holidays, even through the pandemic. Here’s some specific ideas for how to savor during the holidays:
1. Tune in to your five senses
Something that makes Christmas and other holidays special are the sights, sounds, and tastes exclusive to this time of year. During Christmas, you may be decorating with your dazzling Christmas lights, setting up your Christmas tree, and strewing your house with ornaments and garland. You may be cooking classic holiday recipes or purchasing candles and scented products to add a dash of citrus or pine in your house. You may even be listening to nostalgic Christmas tunes. Take a moment during the holidays to really observe the gorgeous decorations, to really absorb the scents and music. Pay attention to every bite of that delicious Christmas dinner.
2. Reminisce
Many of us have cherished holiday memories with family that we hold near and dear to our hearts. Remembering those times and recounting the happy memories can help us savor the past. Look over old photos of past holidays, remember past gifts, and accept that, while this year will be different for many reasons, your happy memories are still with you. You can also have hope that you can still form timeless, happy memories this season through the help of savoring the special moments.
3. Enjoy time with your loved ones
Something good about the pandemic is that it reminds us just how valuable our time with our loved ones is. Whether through Zoom, FaceTime, or other online video applications, find ways to keep in touch with friends and family and enjoy the time you have together. Recognize how lucky we are to live in a world so interconnected by technology, in a way that allows you to talk to loved ones while safely avoiding the virus. Really immerse yourself into the conversation, and simply enjoy the moment.
4. Try the SCONE method
This handy method of savoring can be done anytime, at any place.
-Slow down. The holidays can get quite busy when you have to juggle shopping and other holiday plans with your usual life, but try to take some time to disengage yourself from the hustle and bustle of it all.
-Consider the context. Take time to think about what got you here. It may be helpful to step outside your usual life and consider your life, maybe even the world at large and the natural forces and timeframe that has shaped our world.
-Open up your senses. As previously mentioned, make yourself aware of your senses, especially those unique to this holiday season.
-Notice your thoughts. It’s totally normal to get sidetracked while savoring, when other thoughts come up, but whenever you become aware that you have drifted off, let the thought pass, then reorient yourself back to the moment.
-Enjoy the Moment! Savoring isn’t meant to be difficult or a chore. Don’t worry if the experience isn’t perfect or as often as you’d like. Just enjoy the time that you do have during this holiday season.
Savoring is such a cool thing! It can be applied to any moment to make it more magical and worthwhile. Hopefully, your holidays this year can be enhanced by just stopping to enjoy the moment. That can make this season unforgettable—in the best way possible!