MACON, Ga. — For many of us, Christmas plays out in the same scenario every year. We all have traditions and rituals.
With the coronavirus pandemic, many families are coming up with alternate plans, much like we did for Thanksgiving. We chatted with Susan Jenkins-Dunn who says she and her family are looking forward to Christmas Day even with some changes on the books for 2020.
"I am a Christmas princess -- that's what I like to call myself," said Jenkins-Dunn, with a smile.
She does deck the halls in a stately style, and despite the COVID-19 pandemic, every ornament went up this year on their tree, "And I am enjoying that even if nobody else sees it," she said confidently.
The family is moving Christmas Day celebrations outside this year.
They've got a big table and other plans ready to go.
"We have a family member with health issues, so we want to protect him," she said. "The table will be set, there are going to be lights in all the bushes, we'll have a roaring fire, and hot chocolate by the fire."
Jenkins-Dunn says they've gone out for groceries and such, but overall, parked themselves at home during the pandemic, so they'll hang the stockings on the chimney, make sure Santa has his proper place and maybe let their family get a sneak peek of the décor inside.
"But I do feel the family will come in one at a time -- that's what we did at Thanksgiving, was everybody went in one at a time," she said.
The family figures next will get the chance more of a normal celebration next year, but she also says maybe they'll incorporate some of these new COVID-19 rituals.
"We might do a hybrid of what we've always done and this," Susan projected.
After ten months of dealing with the pandemic, they've learned resiliency, but Jenkins-Dunn says it's important especially during these times to just be patient and look out for your family and strangers as well.
"This is tough on people, so I think we just have to be mindful of being kind and generous right now, more than ever," she said.
Celebrating outside is all predicated on the weather holding out and we're a little too far out from the 25th to nail that down, so if it does rain, the Mayo Clinic has some tips during the time of coronavirus.
They say if you have to move your celebrations indoors, keep the guest list small. Limit the time you get together, and have all of the windows and doors open for ventilation.