Spilled pasta created one of my favorite moments since the pandemic. “Mamma mia!” 

It was the pasta aisle. I dropped a box. Spaghetti noodles covered the floor. Two gentlemen witnessed the crime and made jokes. A girl and her mom pointed and laughed. We all talked! 

It felt so normal. I spoke with a person in my community. I laughed with a stranger. It felt good to be human again. Right now, we all seem to be robotic drones. We’re masked, looking forward or into our phones, and staying on our safe 6-foot-distant circles. 

We go out armed with chemical warfare, aka hand sanitizer. We pick up drive thru food and eat in our car troughs. We hoard cleaning supplies and paper products, “just in case”.  We’re out of place, no school, no office, no church. 

So much of life is serendipity and connection happens as we’re busy living. Can our eyes express emotion? Can real conversation happen with our mouths hidden? Can we hear each other without reading lips?  

I think so. And if I understand correctly, we have our masked armour, and we have 15 minutes before the germ escapes.  

Now the pressure is on. Christmas is here, and being together is as anticipated as shopping and baking. But holiday plans are tangled like Christmas lights. All the confusion stems from the love and care we have for each other, but it feels so wrong.    

Should we get together? How do we do it? When? Grandma visits first, then the larger group after? Do we travel on an airplane? Do we need to quarantine before and after? Or do we just wait and Christmas in July? 

We’ve all had practice being together while apart. Do more this December, during the holidays, and in the new year. Although we have to do things differently, we have to find a way to share good cheer in the name of love.

How can we do Christmas and the holidays this year?   

1 Play and share Christmas music. Certain songs are a guaranteed lump in my throat, especially this year. 

2 Send greeting cards or surprise presents. We need mail more than ever! Some of us have stopped this tradition. This is the year to start it up again. 

3 Share photos of past Christmases together. It’ll bring good laughs, some tears, and memories back. 

4 Virtual visits. These computer screen faces are better than nothing: Zoom, Google Meet, or FaceTime. Do something together, like bake or watch a movie. Virtual games, so many available for two or groups.   

5 If all are healthy and comfortable, can we just get together? That is each person’s call that we have to respect. No one should judge a host or be upset with anyone who chooses to not participate. We’re all a little anxious!  

6 Make human connections if given the chance. It can be done safely. We can smile. We can give a better parking spot. We can call to check on an older neighbor. We’re all in this together!   

This year has been hard. We have to do our best at Christmas. The best gift we can give is our humanity. The best gift we can give is each other. Thank you, Jesus, our greatest gift!

Image by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto from Pixabay