A very COVID Christmas

Charlie Wilson - Sophomore | Features

As winter comes along, so do the holidays. But what exactly will our holiday celebrations look like this year? Many people during the winter months go on vacation, visit family, or simply travel around their town taking in the holiday spirit. This is also the time of year where we go to stores and malls to buy gifts for one another. However, with COVID-19 in town, will Santa be able to visit this year? Will we be able to make our annual rendezvous to visit family and friends?

In California, 11 of the state’s counties have called for an immediate lock-down. They prohibit anyone from leaving their homes unless it is for emergencies or essential items. This means that they have closed non-essential stores, restaurants, barbershops and salons across the counties.

So what does this mean for holiday celebrations? With the recent events and COVID-19 numbers in California, it is safe to say that there will not be that much celebrating done. If the numbers of cases keep sky-rocketing like they have been in the past few months, then the next step would be a nation-wide shutdown. That means nobody will be able to travel to other cities, and if your family lives in different states, then you will not be able to see them.

However, hope is not lost yet. There are many other alternatives to traveling and seeing your family members. You could have family movie nights or play games together instead of traveling. If you have family members far away, you could also FaceTime them or video chat.

Even a simple phone call could do. As for shopping, online shopping has been growing more and more each year, and is the best alternative for buying gifts for family and friends.

Maybe we’ll have a Christmas Miracle and COVID-19 disappears altogether, though that is unlikely. The Pfizer vaccine has also started being introduced in the U.K., and the U.S. has begun distributing the vaccine to medical workers. Hopefully, we will not have to deal with these problems next year, and our holidays can return to normal.