1) Family Game Night
Becoming closer as a family is something I keep hearing about. I wholeheartedly love that families are coming together. They are spending more time with each other and enjoying it. Family game nights used to be something of the past. Now we are starting to dust off those board games and create lasting memories.
Santa loves to hear about quality time being spent with loved ones.
2) Cooking Meals Together & Eating Out Less
Before the outbreak of the virus, most of us were probably eating out more than we'd like to admit. Now that we've all gone through some sort of lock-down or quarantine, we've started to cook more often. We're eating out less. Trying new and old recipes. It's also another great bonding experience with loved ones. Feeling somewhat forced into making meals on your own is all you need to remind yourself that you are indeed a terrific cook! Besides, cooking your own meals sure does save on the wallet when you compare the two.
Mrs. Claus encourages others to cook with love so that it always ends up tasting great!
3) Less Traffic | Creating Lower Emissions
With adults working from home and online school classes being offered abundantly, there are now far less cars on the road. Not to mention the lack of normal activities like big concerts or full capacity filled games. We are now seeing less traffic on the road. Hopefully certain aspects remain the same and people will have the opportunity to stay home rather than fight highway traffic jams to get to work by 8 am.
Santa appreciates being able to ride his sleigh with less pollution in the air.
4) More Outdoor Dining Options
Dining out is something most of us enjoy. Sometimes we need a break from cooking or perhaps we enjoy having someone else waiting on us. It's a way of life and it's hard to imagine not having the options to enjoy a terrific meal made by an incredible chef. So, we're looking for other options instead of being crammed in next to one another indoors on a busy Friday night.
Restaurants also don't want to lose all their loyal customers. So, they are looking into alternative solutions. We're seeing more and more outdoor dining spaces opening up. Eating outdoors is much safer than indoors. There's a much lower risk of coming in contact with the virus, and it can be a lot of fun! Hopefully many or all of these new outdoor patios will be here to stay.
Santa's reindeer eat outdoors too, maybe they've been on to something all this time!
5) Becoming Conscious On Our Spending Habits While Saving Money
Before Coronavirus hit we all had things to do almost every weekend. We could go to friend gatherings, eat out more often, see a show, attend a concert, and plenty of other activities. Now, things have changed a bit. We don't need to have new outfits several times a month. Besides, who would see them? We're working from home, so why grab a sub from the local deli? We're driving less so why keep the tank full? We're making more meals at home and spending more at the grocery store. These habits are now becoming normal.
So what do all of these have in common? Savings! We're saving more money and starting to see the differences. If you keep a close eye on your bank account then surely you'll be able to see a difference yourself as well.
We're creating good habits. Lowering our spending really shows us how many things we were buying when we truly didn't need to. If we're not missing it now, then why should we miss it in the future?
Santa says if you're good all year long then you'll get something extra special for Christmas. He also recommends making a wish list instead of purchasing things that you don't necessarily need right now.
6) Focused On Personal Or Loved Ones Mental Health
Now that we've all gotten a little more time to evaluate our lives, due to being at home more often. It's becoming highly apparent that we may have needed some more personal time. We've been able to realize how important our mental health is. Maybe actions have even been put in place for a solution.
Our loved ones have suffered with mental health issues as well with no solutions until recently. Now is the time to help our families and friends to find their inner peace. Helping one another can be extremely rewarding and what better time to start than now.
Hopefully these new found awareness continue to grow. Hopefully we are there for one another more often. We've been getting more practice so continuing to do so should just be a breeze.
Mrs. Claus encourages talking with one another and opening up about our feelings and opinions. Building healthy relationships is a great step in the right direction of happiness.
7) Slowing Down & Taking Life At A Slower Pace
Oftentimes we get so caught up with running around, cramming activities into our lives, and never slowing down to enjoy the ride. Life can be like a roller coaster and if we blink then amazing opportunities and experiences can quickly pass us by. Now that we've had more time on our hands, more people are starting to get back to the basics and really be appreciative of all the little things in life.
Hopefully once things become a little more normal, people will continue to take things slow. Maybe we might even take the time to smell the roses.
Santa has a lot on his plate throughout the year. Despite all his obligations, he still finds time to enjoy the amazing things that life has to offer. He encourages all of us to do the same as often as possible.
8) Cleaning Our Homes More Often And Getting Organized
Cleaning our homes is certainly a necessity and it's something we've always made time for here and there. We keep the dishes done, the laundry folded, and the floors swept. But what has always been a struggle for most of us is staying on top of the deep cleaning. Well, now that Coronavirus has been lingering, we're all finding ourselves motivated to finally tackle that garage clean out.
We're realizing that keeping things organized doesn't have to be as difficult as we make it out to be. We're doing it! Why not continue to do so? I think that now that we've put in the hard work with those jobs around the house that we always put off. Now we will want to keep things organized. We will want to keep things from building up again.
Mrs. Claus encourages others to become organized by labeling boxes very well. This way you won't need to dig through all of them to find one small item.
9) We're Learning To Be More Tech-savvy
Some people have grown up around computers, games, and technology near everything we touch. Others were born in a different era, others didn't have a cell phone until they were adults, because they haven't always been around.
Now that video conferencing is the new normal way to communicate with our friends and family, as well as our co-workers, we have been forced to learn more. Some are taking this time to learn more when it comes to technology. Some are forced to in order to keep up with their jobs, others are doing so to stay connected with loved ones. Whatever the reasoning, I believe the usage is only going to grow.
Santa Claus is usually pretty old fashioned in that he likes to meet in person, and receive letters via mail. Even he's been coming around to video technology. Maybe more appearances from him will be virtual this year.
10) Starting Or Rediscovering Hobbies
A lot of people have dreams of one day becoming an artist, or learning how to sew, or putting together a 1000 piece puzzle. Whatever your interest, now is the time to dive in. Now is the time to find out what makes you happy.
Our excuses were always that we didn't have the time. In reality, most of us just chose to do something else with our time, rather than tackling that long-lost hobby dream. So, now that others are venturing out and trying new things, perhaps they will stick with it. Maybe they'll realize it is what they've been missing in their lives for a long time coming. Who knows, the hobby could become a useful skill in the future.
Mrs. Claus keeps very busy but she knows the importance of enjoying an activity just for herself. She loves to sew, bake, paint, and read. She suggests that everyone find a hobby that makes them happy.
11) More People Working From Home
Working from home is something that many adults dream of. It's something that's always been quite hard to accomplish without taking a pay cut, or moving into a completely new field. Now that Covid-19 has forced employers to allow their employees to work at home, they are starting to see how productive they can be without constant supervision.
Working from home is great for parents of small children because they don't need to look for child care. They still get to spend quality time with their children and can fulfill all their work duties in the comfort of their own homes. Hopefully employers will realize that many of their employees are much happier working from home rather than fighting traffic, parking, and packing lunch every day.
Santa is a big supporter of working from home. He himself does so, and he works especially hard during these months before Christmas. He and the elves are happily working from home and want the same joy to be spread to everyone else around the world.
12) Exercise Routines Being Set
Finding the time to exercise is something that many people struggle with. We've always been so busy with work, school, kids, grocery shopping, and many other errands. Once you get through your day, who ends up with the time to spend at the gym?
Now, a lot of people are working from home. Children are being kept home for school so no need to drop them off or take them to child care services. Groceries are becoming even easier everyday to get delivered. And most other companies are also working from home so other errands are left to be fulfilled digitally.
People are finding that they have plenty of time on their hands. We're taking the dogs out to walk more often. We're dusting off the treadmills, and we're getting that much needed exercise in our lives. With all the extra time, we have plenty of it to put forth the efforts that so many of us have desired for longer than we wish to say. We're finding that we're creating lasting exercise routines because we certainly enjoy the results.
Santa Claus says that exercising as often as possible is great for a healthy, long life. Despite his figure, he does still believe that holding a healthy and active life is extremely important.
13) Continuing To Wear A Mask When Sick- Protecting Others From Ourselves
Wearing a mask was something very few of us were accustomed to. Now that it has become mandatory in certain places, it has started to become normal. We are denied access to grocery stores and gas stations if caught without one. The great thing about this is that once Coronavirus settles down, we will all still be in the routine. We are starting to understand the importance of protecting ourselves and others from germs. Hopefully, now people will move in the direction of wearing a mask if they become ill with something like the flu. Now that most of us understand how important a mask is to protect others. Perhaps we will keep that in mind the next time we get the sniffles.
Mrs. Claus suggests being kind to others and wearing your mask the next time you feel ill. She worries about the elves and would hate to see them get sick when they work so hard for Santa and all the children.
14) Drive-in Movies Making A Comeback
The nostalgic, once loved and ever popular drive-in movie theaters are making their comeback. They used to be packed all summer with cars wrapped around the block waiting for their turn to pay and park. Teenagers would go with friends and adults would have double dates at the drive-in. Usually there would be a double film and a nearby popcorn stand that wouldn't dare disappoint the movie goers. Over time these theaters have become more and more in the past, while society wanted more. We love our indoor theaters with reclining seats, servers who bring our orders right out to us, and the surround sound we all wish we had in our own personal homes.
Now that Covid-19 has made going indoors in close spaces less desirable, we're seeking other options. We're going back to making beds out of pick up trucks, and keeping our distance while enjoying a good film. Drive-in theaters are popping up everywhere. It's a way for us to still feel normal but without the risk of getting sick. Now that the younger generations are getting to experience this nostalgic way of watching movies, we just might never give it up again.
Maybe Santa will show up with his reindeer on a sleigh for a movie date night with Mrs. Claus.
15) Hand Washing More Often
This may come as a surprise to you but as a society we were not very good at hand washing prior to Covid-19. We've all had our turn watching several people use the public restroom only to walk right out once finished. It's unsanitary and it's poor personal hygiene.
Now that we are becoming more aware of the importance, people are starting to be more diligent. Sadly, it's something that should have been done a long time ago, but better late than never. Right now we are washing our hands all day long to try to keep ourselves clear from the virus. I believe that now that it has become a habit, we will continue to keep up the much needed routine.
Mrs. Claus teaches the elves at a very young age to practice good hand washing measures. If we teach the younger children to do the same then we can all stay better protected.