Whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah, this year’s holiday season is going to be different. But we haven’t lost everything that’s good about it.
Dec. 11, 2020
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Coquitlam. I’ve been enjoying seeing the lights and decorations go up at local homes and businesses – and one of the best things is that they spread holiday cheer from a distance, so they’re actually COVID-friendly.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah, this year’s holiday season is going to be different. But we haven’t lost everything that’s good about it. For one thing, it’s traditionally the season of giving, and that certainly doesn’t have to change.
If you’re a person who supports local charities over the holidays, they’ll definitely welcome your contribution this year. If you’re someone who enjoys buying or making gifts, nothing has to change in 2020.
I do encourage you, however, to shop for your gifts and supplies here in Coquitlam to give our local businesses a boost. The City even has a Give Local campaign going on right now with tips and prizes. For details, follow Tourism Coquitlam on social media or visit the website at visitcoquitlam.ca.
If your family usually signs up for fun seasonal activities, we’ve got you covered there as well. Head over to www.coquitlam.ca/register to find out about physically-distant holiday activities, including dance classes, cookie decorating, ornament making and winter break camps.
If you’re looking to make memories at home, check out our online offerings on the CoquitlamSPIRIT webpage at www.coquitlam.ca/spirit. You’ll find holiday arts and crafts, recipes and many other free activities and resources for people of all ages.
The one holiday tradition we won’t be able to keep up in 2020 is getting together with groups of family, friends and coworkers. This change will be tough for many but it’s important that we do this to keep our community safe.
And while we cannot gather in person like we have in the past, we can find ways to adapt and find different ways to celebrate, like we’ve been doing all year. We’ll have to gather online rather than in person. I know for our household, it’s going to be a lot like the year we booked a trip over Christmas and had to celebrate with our family by phone.
We will need to have some discipline this year – and not just about staying away from the Christmas baking and eggnog. We’re probably going to be invited to things, and we will want to say yes, but this one year we’re going to have to say no. It’s going to be difficult, but that physical distancing must continue to happen. This year, the best way to show others how much you care is to stay away and find creative ways to embrace virtually.
Please continue to connect with others in safe ways, and pay particular attention to those who are alone or who typically struggle during the holidays. Engage with them in whatever way you can, so they now you’re thinking of them.
I also encourage you to try not to get discouraged when you feel others are not following the rules. Just keep doing your part and modelling the right behaviour. Despite how it seems sometimes, most people are doing the right thing.
So for this holiday season, let’s care for and appreciate what we do have, and let’s use our creativity to find safe ways to share in the holiday spirit this year. Who knows, maybe we’ll come up with some special new traditions that we’ll want to keep around in the years to come.
Richard Stewart
Mayor