Unless you have been living underneath a rock since March, you will know all about the pandemic that has turned our lives upside down. You will also be fully aware that there is a strong possibility that Christmas 2020 will be unlike any other.

This year, we might not be crowding around the table, pulling the cracker that your aunt, who you only ever see once year, puts in front of your face or wearing the paper hat that comes from inside of it. Christmas 2020 is set to be a lot different, with Turkey dinners a little less hectic and presents opened up via Zoom call. There is every chance that we won’t get to wish our family a Merry Christmas, at least not in person.

Will There be Another Lockdown?

Whether there is another national lockdown, the same as we saw imposed in March, or not remains to be seen, but what is clear is that at least some local regions will be banned from mixing indoors due to local social restrictions. That means that there will be many families separated at the time of year that, usually, we would all clamber together.

It isn’t going to be easy and it will feel incredibly surreal for anyone who will be unable to celebrate Christmas with their family. At the time of writing, millions of UK residents are already living under such tight restrictions and it doesn’t look likely that they will be revoked any time soon, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson warning that new measures he introduced in September are likely to remain in law until March – a full year after the initial lockdown was announced.

How to Celebrate Christmas 2020

Whether we can physically be with our loved ones or not, we will all still celebrate and mark Christmas in our own way. This year, there is likely to be an increased number of online orders for Christmas hampers that can be sent to the recipient’s door, as well as other gifts for those of all ages.

Zoom and other video calling apps will also be used on Christmas Day by anyone unable to be with the ones they love, likely to take part in festive games and quizzes – or just to indulge in a drink or two together. Grandparents will at least still be able to see the look of excitement on their grandchildren’s faces when they open their presents left by Santa under the tree, even if it is being live-streamed.

Show Someone You are Thinking About Them

Christmas can be a lonely time no matter what year it is, pandemic or not, but that feeling of loneliness is likely to be new to thousands around the country this time around. People who have always spent the holidays with family are likely to be told that they simply cannot. This year, we can expect to see a surge in poor mental health and it is important that, for this reason, we do what we can to show that we care – even if we cannot be with them as we normally would.

Keeping in regular contact is a must, whether it is through video call, text message, social media or what has become an old-fashioned phone call. While keeping safe is, of course, important we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that other health risks present very real risks. Living in isolation, whether you live alone or are shielding, can take its toll on mental health so we simply have to do everything that we can for each other.

However Christmas looks this year, let’s simply try to enjoy ourselves as much as we can and, fingers crossed, Christmas 2021 looks a lot more normal.