Modifying Holiday Traditions

As we quickly approach the holiday season, we're starting to think about how to keep our traditions as normal as possible while keeping our families safe. We are brainstorming ways to modify our normal holiday traditions in ways that feel safe and comfortable for everyone involved, and we wanted to share these ideas with you in case you're scratching your head on this!

In years' past, we all reveled in the joy (and sometimes chaos) of gathering with extended family that we may only see a couple of times per year.  Check out how some of our employees will be spending their holidays this year, and let us know if you've got any great tips or ideas!

Food

1. If you still want to see family and enjoy each family members' culinary masterpieces, have each family member/household make a big batch of their special recipe, and then meet in a driveway and swap containers! This way, each family member/household gets to have each dish, but you're taking it home to your own home to eat it safely. You can enjoy it on your own, or video chat once you get home so you can enjoy the dinnertime conversation.

2. Try out recipes you've never tried before! If you're going to be at home, and you don't have family close by to do a swap with, spend the day in the kitchen trying out new recipes for your favorite Thanksgiving (or not standard Thanksgiving) dishes! If cooking isn't usually your thing, you've now got a dedicated day to experiment in the kitchen and figure out what you love, without having to worry about pleasing anyone else's palette!

3. Mix a little bit of both of these ideas into one. Instead of meeting to swap dishes, start an email or text chain to exchange recipes, and then cook them on your own and give feedback on how it turns out! As always, video chatting or hopping on the phone for recipe advice or dinnertime conversation is encouraged!

Gift-Giving

1. While making your own versions of holiday dinners is easily possible, you can't exactly give yourself gifts. Well, you can, but it just wouldn't have the same meaning! Similar to a food swap, meeting in someone's driveway to swap gifts is an easy way to get the job done, if you're relatively close by. Then, head home to open gifts and chat on the phone!

2. Lots of our employees will be taking advantage of the ability to ship a gift directly to their recipient, and it's the easiest way to get gifts where they need to go! You pick the gift, and let the company take care of the logistics. This way, there are no visits to the store or post office, and you know your gift will get there safely!

3. If you're anything like us, you're probably feeling some of the financial constraints this year, and gift-giving at the level you usually do may seem a little out of reach. We are loving the idea of simplifying holiday gifts, while increasing the fun! Have each family member randomly choose one recipient, and then each person can curate a personalized and thoughtful care package for their recipient. When we can focus on one family member, we can really make the gift more personal and meaningful, and care packages are nice and easy to ship or deliver.

Hoping to make the holiday more meaningful?

Whether you're great at cooking, you know where the best local apple pie comes from, or you love to give gifts, there are always people in your community that would greatly appreciate your gestures. Check locally for any food banks, donation centers, or toy drives to help out those in your community who could use a little boost. Your thoughtfulness will mean more than you know.