Finding Joy This Christmas

If there is one thing that can be said about 2020, it’s that very few in the world had an easy time of it. For whatever reason, so many of us have been challenged and tested. Whether you are a believer or not, Christmas is often a time for bringing the family together, for reviewing the year that was, and looking towards what lies ahead. This Christmas is going to be different for many of us, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be joyful. For all its bewildering and surreal traits, 2020 has still managed to deliver surprise nuggets of positivity, hope and gratitude. In fact, 2020 has gifted many of us with the ability to be thankful for what were once considered the little things. Christmas can continue in that vein; we can beat any holiday blues and find joy.

So…. where is the Edible Health team going to go looking for it?

Virtual love

So many of us are away from loved ones this season, so the absolute number one joy-catcher is to catch up virtually. Whether it’s Whatsapp, Zoom, Google Hangout; whatever your online meeting place of choice, be sure to have it organised in advance. That might mean certain non-tech members of the family need a trial run beforehand, so make sure they’re confident and your opportunity isn’t wasted IT trouble-shooting. Remember, provided you have the right wifi package, then there is no reason you can’t keep this link on for hours. Indeed, we’ve actually known someone who has babysat from the other side of the world thanks to virtual video conferencing! Be sure everyone is dialing in at the right time in their part of the world. Let’s be honest, these family catch-ups can often be quite hilarious as everyone tries to navigate their way around connectivity hiccups, people speaking over others, and just the general IT bedlam that usually ensues.

Support services this Christmas

If you don’t have close family with whom you can share the day, seek out other people in your life. It’s important to know there is always an opportunity to be with someone. Support services like the following are available:

Leave your expectations at the door

Don’t put any pressure on the day. Don’t try to overcompensate, aim for perfection or go into it expecting it to unfold in a certain way. Just give yourself to the day and let it unfold however it was always going to.

Unwrapping presents with little people

Whether it’s virtual or right in front of you, nothing conjures up a perfect Christmas melting moment quite like little people unwrapping gifts from Santa. Even better when the people are so little that the wrapping paper is more interesting than what lies inside it!

Be the Secret Santa in your street

Why not covertly deliver some Secret Santa presents to your neighbours, and leave them guessing? It doesn’t have to be anything of huge value - some homemade gingerbread, a box of chocolates. Or, you could go deliberately Christmas kitsch and opt for something like a quirky snow dome. It’s the thought that counts, not the cost!

One of our favourite ideas is a £5 Veggie Seed Box. It’s small, affordable, but is going to grow into a gift that keeps giving.

Leaving it by the door with no link back to you is a really selfless thing to do. It will also keep the neighbours busy trying to figure out who this generous elf might be…

Short on ideas for Christmas gifts? We’ve curated a wonderful, small list of great gift ideas that are affordable, enviro-friendly and good for you! Be sure to check them out.

Volunteer

For so many of us, giving delivers more joy than receiving. There is no end of charities that need our help this time of year. It doesn’t have to be financial - it can be in other ways. Reach out to groups in your local area and offer some assistance. It will fill your heart, and really make a difference for someone else.

Best Christmas Carols

You either love them or you hate them, and certainly if you spend too long at the supermarket then you’re probably going to err towards the latter… But we can’t help ourselves!

Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt 1953
Blue Christmas, Elvis Presley, 1957
Merry Christmas, Baby, Otis Redding, 1968
Last Christmas, WHAM! 1984
Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town, Bruce Springsteen, 1985
Fairy Tale of New York, The Pogues, 1987
One More Sleep, Leona Lewis, 2013
O Holy Night, Pentatonix, 2014

Best Christmas films

Just like Christmas carols, films tend to polarise, don’t they? But we can’t NOT include them here. So, what are our top tips for seasonal flicks?

Love Actually
Gremlins
Home Alone
Die Hard (unexpected, sure, but for those thriller lovers!)
Dr Seuss The Grinch
Home Alone
Elf
Holiday Inn

Thank you, 2020

We can all be thankful for things that have happened in 2020. They might not be the usual suspects that normally stand out in other years. Perhaps they are even more poignant for this reason. Whatever they are, don’t just think about them. Write them down and visualise them and see just how powerful they are and perhaps even how numerous they might be.

Not sure where to start? Here are some things our team has brought to the table:

Creating endless Lego designs with my son and sharing his passion for engineering and make-believe
An opportunity to get off the hamster wheel and reflect on where I am going
Knowing my elderly parents are in good health
Learning how to do a headstand
Cleaning every cupboard in the house - how incredibly cathartic!
Time to walk in the woods but really see and hear and connect with everything around me, rather than just walk through them
Creating a veggie patch in the garden and taking the fruits of our labours to friends and family as gifts
Raising baby chicks and giving away the eggs to neighbours
Neighbours who let me take their dogs on countless walks during lockdown and who I could help, in return, by looking after their kids to give them all some breathing room
Being able to support the launch of a friend’s new business by providing healthy food and drinks during a photo shoot and giving away bags of collagen goodies

On behalf of the entire team at Edible Health, we wish you and your loved ones a truly Merry Christmas.

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