6 Easy Tips for Coping with Covid Christmas Blues
Your parents were watching "Holiday Inn" the week before Christmas, and your mother was almost teary-eyed when Bing Crosby sang "White Christmas". You weren't there. (There are other films, set during Yuletide, that amused you. But it's not "Home Alone".) Watching old films was one way for your folks to cope with Covid Christmas blues. What about you?
Your mother seemed upset when she saw you reading a short story (after watching "Holiday Inn" one more time). It was a collection of short stories under the title "Beware of God", and (author) Shalom Auslander wasn't blasphemous in his tone of writing. In fact, "Bobo the Self-Hating Chimp" was your favorite tale. The titular character was one of the main attractions of the Bronx Zoo, who achieved total conscious self-awareness during an otherwise ordinary morning of spring (or May 25 to be exact). Bobo could have been the perfect subject of an Ingmar Bergman picture, renowned for introspection. No one seemed to feel, though. Your mother didn't see it that way, wondering if you studied at the wrong university. You assured that literature was your passion, and Auslander's tales helped you stay upbeat during the pandemic. No one foresaw the horrific events at United States Capitol (last January 6), but that would be another story. After that?
You opened a window, unmindful of the cold. You listened, hoping to hear the chirping of the birds. It was important, as the birds were unaffected by the coronavirus. It gave you hope, a sign that your place won't be in the midst of all of this. It didn't dawn on you that you were rather selfish, and the uncertainty would remain almost a year later. What to do?
My Advice For Anyone Wanting to Try It is To Definitely Do It
Get outside. The fresh air and exercise would put you in a positive mood. It also makes you energetic, probably more than you wish for, but this is not the point. Walking is THAT chance to look at your surroundings. The natural world is still plodding on, and that is a good sign. It's a distraction from the (distressing) news, for one. It also helps you think of what to do during the rest of the day - and possibly the day after. One less grouchy soul is better.
Be productive. It's very important to have a purpose, if not something to look forward to. Your neighbor might not share your excitement about the upcoming weekend, but you chose not to affected at the complications arising from the coronavirus offspring and vaccine hesitancy. (She wanted that $100 Walmart gift card, so she didn't have second thoughts about getting a primary shot.) This is more preferable to rueing over lost opportunities (due to the pandemic). Your schedule doesn't have to include household chores, but you look at your room. When was the last time you cleaned it?
Learn something. And do it for you . Your coursemate wanted to play ukulele, so he bought a second-hand (instrument) last month. He hasn't made great progress, but he had fun. You gave up playing the piano when you were 10, as books appealed to you more. You used to read when you get slightly bored, but the pandemic made you pause and observe your (reading) skills. You couldn't finish a 600-page novel in a week. You're still trying to read between the lines. And some books didn't interest you. (In other words, you're reading these titles because your professors require you.) All of these are about to change.
Take in some public art. You feigned interest in your aunt's description of (quirky) London, asking you when you would travel across the (Atlantic) pond. Your response was defensive, though. (There's no place like home?) You recalled that conversation and then decided to plan your visit to New York next month. The weeks leading to Christmas would be a festive period, a great time for people-watching. Some skyscrapers are works of art, but you're interested in the Empire State Building. Your mother's eyes nearly welled up (with tears) when she heard that name. And you haven't seen "An Affair to Remember".
Send a text to extended family and friends. It's the little things that matter, but the pandemic is unlike any other. Such a gesture would remind everyone that no one is alone. (And somebody up there likes everyone.) Your mother baked gingerbread for your neighbors last Christmas, and she would do it again. You decided to roll up your sleeves and get dirty this time.
Do something to take you away from doom scrolling. Your tutor learned two hobbies during the pandemic, namely soap-making and macrame, the art of knot-tying (to make things such as curtains). It's nice to have something to take her away from the computer screen, she said. And doom scrolling through social media as well. Her hobbies were also stressed relievers. She wouldn't consider reading as a hobby, as the course requires her (and you) to read most of the time. You've been thinking about deltiology, the study and collection of postcards. And not just any postcard. You gave up on it a few years ago. It could be a good start.
Take Up Singing -It's Really Relaxing
Your sister was addicted to Dua Lipa's "Levitating", such that you heard her singing on a number of occasions. She finds it relaxing, and she doesn't mind your parents thinking that she's a bit mad. You learned that mental health would be important, but you haven't thought of something that could find you lose yourself in it. There's a river not far from where you live. Skating? Perhaps. Your coursemate told you (and your other mates) about his plan to take up painting. Sketching? You're undecided about it. Pet in your home? You will ask your parents about it. And Thanksgiving dinner would be a good time (to ask them)
