December 2020 – Wonderful ways to enjoy the holidays (and practice self-care) in these unprecedented times.
Posted by The Piggyback Rider Team on 19th Dec 2020
Now that many are returned to stay-at-home mandates, you’ve got a triple whammy: working from home, having your toddlers around at all times, and add to that the craziness that happens around the holidays.
There’s a certain sadness that happens when we think that we can’t do the things we love to do during the holidays.
But, you know, when life gives you lemons…you make lemonade (or better yet, Lemon Meringue pie…)!
How do you make that shift from what’s missing, to the magic that can be, especially for the kids?
First, remember that you’ve made it this far, through one of the most unusual years that many of us will see in our lifetimes. No matter what it looks like for you, you really deserve a pat on the back.
Not your usual holiday season. Are the Kids Deprived, or Blessed?
Second, talk to kids about why they can't do the usual holiday activities. Then talk to them about how they can see things differently; how you all can create new traditions through recognition of the blessings that you still have.
Comfort, Fun, Enchantment: A List for You.
So sit down with a cup of your favorite hot beverage and browse through these lists & events below:
For the Family:
Exceptional Holiday Adventures that You Can Have with the Kids at Home
Start with Holiday Stories – here’s a collection from across the globe!
Holiday Story Books from Around the World
Want a video call with Santa? How about a behind-the-scenes peek at that secret-yet-famous workshop?
Safe Online Santa Visits: Zoom with Santa Claus and Virtual Santa Photos for Kids
Mommy Poppins says, “ From customized video calls to online Santa photo ops, plus interactive games and cameos from Mrs. Claus and the elves, there are so many ways to hang with the big guy himself from the comfort and safety of your own home. Silver linings: no long lines and the ability to really personalize your visit, making your 2020 Santa meet-and-greet a little extra special.”
But wait, there's more--and it gets even better.
These fantastic links and information are taken directly from the Mommy Poppins website because we don't want you to miss anything! Follow this blog for some amazing information (and in a note to Mommy Poppins, we hope you don't mind!)!
The Nice List, December 1 - 31. Talk about nice: The Nice List is being presented to audiences for free! The Nice List is a jingletastic look inside Santa’s workshop as he puts his elves in charge of Christmas while he checks in on his mall “ambassadors.” READ MORE
Manual Cinema's Christmas Carol, December 3 - 20. Sure, A Christmas Carol is good and all, but think of what Charles Dickens could have created with Zoom! Manual Cinema, known for imaginative storytelling and spectacular imagery, takes on the classic A Christmas Carol, with a visually inventive adaptation. READ MORE
Eleanor's Very Merry Christmas Wish: The Musical, through December 27. See the story of a rag doll named Eleanor, who lives in the magical world of The North Pole but wishes for a best friend and home of her own, so she writes a letter to Santa. The family-friendly production was filmed during the 2019 Chicago World Premiere run. READ MORE
Molly Moth Saves Christmas Podcast, December 1 - January 1. Molly Moth Saves Christmas is a podcast designed to bring holiday cheer to the whole family. Molly Moth is an outcast in her school of butterflies. On Christmas Eve, Molly happens upon a distraught Santa and his reindeer. Here, she discovers her moth superpowers and saves Christmas. READ MORE
Bob Baker Marionettes: Holiday on Strings! (Virtual), through January 3. A beloved Los Angeles holiday tradition continues. Families everywhere can watch a performance of Holiday on Strings! by the legendary Bob Baker Marionettes. READ MORE
Evanston Children's Choir Holiday Concert, A Christmas Carol in Harlem (Virtual); Dec. 7- Jan. 3. Classical Theatre of Harlem's modern day adaptation of A Christmas Carol streams for free throughout the holiday season. Set in present-day Harlem, this holiday treasure is dramatized with CTH’s signature style of infusing classic works with an uptown flair. READ MORE
We are especially excited about the San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker Online ($49 for a 48-hour pass), an interactive virtual experience!
Mommy Poppins adds, “ Families can tour a virtual opera house full of fun activities, send downloadable holiday snaps to friends and family, enjoy historical highlights of San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker, and learn steps from the choreography.”
For the Ones Doing the Parenting:
Movies and Sanctuary
Just like that feeling you get when Scrooge turns into that lovable old guy, these classics can help transform our perspectives and add to the season’s joyful purpose.
Martha Beck has come up with some rewarding things you can do just for yourself, despite whatever’s going on around you. Try the ones you like, and we think you’ll come out feeling refreshed.
When all is said and done, dream up a list of places you can safely go with your kids in 2021, and don’t forget to bring your Piggyback Riders!
