It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And by that I mean it’s snowing. The trees are pretty. We’ve put up some decorations.

Other than that I have no idea what Christmas will look like this year. I know there will be no big family dinner. I know that there will be no festive party where we make merry and sing carols. I know I won’t be getting together with “my girls” for wine and gifts. Heck, I’m not even sure that I will see my son.

And that is the reality of a Covid Christmas.

We now live in what I would classify as “The best Christmas house ever!”. You have no idea how much I would love to share this house with family and friends. I am, after all, the consummate Christmas girl. I start listening to holiday music on November 1.

That I am doing. But everything else seems awfully vague this year. My calendar is decidedly empty.

So here’s what I’m thinking: this year let’s accept that everything will be different and then stop pouting about it. Let’s accept that – in my lifetime at least – it is one Christmas out of many. Let’s rejoice that we are healthy and doing the right thing by staying apart. And then let’s embrace some new possibilities.

We have just “adopted” a family (anonymously). There are so many (more) in need this season so we have decided to play Santa. Personally. Not just a donation in the Salvation Army kettle or an extra bag of groceries to the Food Bank (and we will do that too). Through a local service, a family has been found. Mom, Dad and three kids. Santa has been provided with a wish list and I can tell you Santa just can’t wait to get going. The elves are pretty damn excited too. We are not exchanging gifts with our families this year. We’re all good, thank you. But so very many are not. And it will take such worthwhile effort to fill the sleigh with goodies for this family to awake to on Christmas morning. I may actually wear a Santa hat when I go shopping.

The other thing I have decided to do this Christmas is resurrect the art of sending Christmas cards. Not emails and not Facebook messages but actual real cards sent by post. When I was a kid I loved getting cards so much my best friend and I exchanged dime-store greetings every day for the month of December. It was such a delight to open that envelope and read the wondrous words, whatever they were.

Well, get ready world – the cards are already coming! Santa has to start early to get to everyone, right, and the one thing I have realized is I barely write anything with a pen anymore so I can only do so many cards before my hand turns into “the claw”.  But I promise you this – I shall not rest until everyone who WANTS a Christmas card, GETS a Christmas card.

So if you WANT one, make sure I have your address.

And that’s it. That is what a Covid Christmas looks like to me. Help others less fortunate and reach out to loved ones. In a new old-fashioned way. Yes, we will Zoom and text and video-chat and I might sing a few songs with no one and we can decorate and bake and celebrate with our bubbles and we can share photos on Instagram and wrap presents for the dog and kiss only one person under the mistletoe. That’s okay.

I have not hugged my son since last January and I’m pretty sure this January will also come and go without a warm embrace. So be it.

Being Santa will be good. Sending cards will be good.

Staying healthy will be extra-special good. Let’s all give each other that gift.