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Date is exactly
2020-12-24
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2020-12-24
Breaking Tradition while the clock continues to Tick
Every year since I was a child I always looked to the holidays for multiple great reasons. When I was young of course the idea of getting presents always trumped the other great qualities that comes with Christmas. As I grew older, I started to appreciate what these holidays really meant to me. That is family, seeing everyone all together happy for a moment in time like nothing else mattered. When Covid hit now over a year ago it seemed like a bad dream that would pass in a few weeks, but a few weeks turned into a few months which turned it over a year now. When Christmas came around this year, we knew it was going to be different and that was okay with me. What really upset me was that I wouldn’t be able to see those I’m closest to and those I cherish my time with. I am mostly referring to my grandparents, on both sides of my family I have loving grandparents who are always a joy to see. In the last few years, I have come to appreciate every time I get to see them one because I love them but also because there could be only a handful of times left that I will get to see them. It is a morbid way to look at family, but one has to come to reality that family isn’t here forever, and this fact helps me appreciate family while they are here. Covid comes into play in this story because this year the virus separated us at a time when family should be together. It deeply upset me to not be able to make another unforgettable memory with my grandparents. What really hurt me was how I could imagine they were feeling about all this. At their age family is everything and they just want to be around everyone as they are getting older. So, we tried our best to all zoom in on Christmas eve and Christmas morning to try and make it as normal as every other year. Of course, it was not the same but with the technology we have today we were still able to share some great moments through the video cameras around the room. After we had the family zoom call I could tell my grandfather really just wanted to be here with all of us and that is a hard pill to swallow on a day like Christmas. I proceeded to call him and reassure him that with time this will all go away, and we will make up for this lost time that we have all suffered through. He told me through it all through world war 2, Vietnam war and the cold war that this pandemic was the hardest to overcome in his lifetime. Which puts into perspective that this is my first true struggle to go through and has seen to be one of the worst events in recorded history. If I look at the right way, it can only get better from here and I’m ready to make up for that lost time with my close family and friends. -
2020-12-24
Brother Says He Lost His Taste To Covid-19
Funny video by Makenzie McClure on Tic Tok. She says her brother claims to be unable to taste anything due to Covid-19. So she makes him what looks like a pumpkin pie, but she uses beans instead of pumpkin. Yikes! If this isn't sibling love I don't know what is! -
2020-12-24
COVID Smells
My family had been fortunate to avoid COVID 19 for ten months. However, in December 2020, that changed. My symptoms began with a minor headache which, on day two, morphed into a minor cough. I was fortunate to never be hospitalized, but on day three, my experience underwent a strange and unexpected change. I began to smell the strong smell, of what could only be described as ammonia. I was once a cat person, and remember the smell of cat urine on a carpet or furniture if left untreated. This smelled exactly like that. My first reaction was to inquire of my family, and no one could smell it but I, which only served to make the experience all the more strange. When everyone can smell the same smell, it’s one thing but when only you can smell it you begin to questions your sanity. The smell of ammonia was strongest outside and somewhat subdued when indoors. It lasted for one day and was gone the next but it was strong to the point of discomfort. -
2020-12-24
McDonald’s At Home
Home cooked meals have always been the norm for us, but in our pre-COVID lives of working full time, gymnastics competitions, church commitments, piano lessons, Kumon, trips to Disneyland and on and on, eating out definitely factored into to our lives at least once a week. In March, that came to a grinding halt. With COVID cases in our area high, and being fortunate to work from home, we quit restaurant food cold turkey when quarantine began in hopes that the numbers would decrease. Ten months later, with daily case rates of COVID in our county now reaching into the 1000s, restaurant food is a distant memory. It was a bit shocking to realize we’ve only had restaurant food five times since March, and each time it was dropped off on our porch for a special occasion. With the kids begging for McDonald’s, we almost caved in December when the McRib commercials started. Instead of giving in, we spent December tackling the challenge of making McDonald’s at home. Big Macs, Egg McMuffins, McDonald’s pies, and yes, even the McRib made it to our homemade menu. It’s been a really fun challenge to try and get the taste just right. Also, a very odd and strange Christmas Eve to attend Christmas Eve service online and then to eat homemade Big Macs. But then, there was something perfect about it, too. What can I say? It’s a good time for a great taste in quarantine. -
2020-12-24
Adaptations
This says that as time has went on, people have made more inventions and adaptations to help secure the safety, convenience, and success of as many people as possible. The photo shows a doctor during a plague in the 1700’s with the type of masks that most doctors wore at the time. The survival rate of the epidemic then was much lower than it is now. Now we wear masks that are easy to use in our every day life and are generally very convenient. This is important to me because it displays how our society has learned to adapt to new challenged and that if we can get through this pandemic we can get through anything. -
2020-12-24
My Christmas
This Christmas, everything was normal we all meet up and had our normal feast. I'm happy to say that there's nothing wrong with having a small Christmas party, but we just have a huge family. I also made our made Christmas card. -
2020-12-24
Christmas Time in 2020
It's the middle of our Oaks Christian Middle School break, which started on the 16th of December and would end on the 6th of January. Our family Dows the usual things during Christmas. Setting up a pine tree, placing ornaments of different shapes and sizes onto said tree, and setting up a chain flights to hang on the branches of the tree. Then our parents buy several gifts, such as video games, LEGO sets which you are able to build with small pieces by following a manual, and anything else that would interest the recipients. They would then rap the presents in either bags if they are lazy, or special rapping paper if they want to put effort into the gift. On the 24th (Christmas Day), we would open the gifts and have a cheerful Christmas with the family. At least that's how it always was before COVID-19... Nowadays, roughly the same thing occurs, but everything arrives much later, everything is done much slower, and there are a lot more coughs instead of conversations. There was no mass gathering, either. Everyone just stayed in their own homes to do it on their own or with anyone who lives with them. It felt eerier than usual, but everyone wished of 2021 not becoming 2020 part 2... -
2020-12-24
Merry Christmas 2020
This Christmas I was lucky enough to spend with my family. I do not have any extended family so it was not hard for us to get together. One tradition that was affected by covid was that every year since I was very young, I have always gone to my best friend’s house for Christmas Eve. This year due to Covid my friend’s family decided to move away. They wanted to have less contact with the Coronavirus and they felt it would be safer to move. On Christmas and Christmas Eve I was not able to attend the mass at the church. This year we had to attend mass virtually. It was very different from what I am used to. I am used to seeing the alter and walking up to it to receive the Eucharist. -
2020-12-24
COVID-19 Christmas
December 24, 2020. The long, terrible year is slowly, but surely, coming to an end. Nobody was excited for Christmas. My family of five had zero Christmas spirit. Nothing. My 17 year old sister, named Ashley, and my 16 year old brother, named Max, slept in until about noon. I got my day started early when I randomly opened my tired eyes around 8 A.M. It was definitely early considering the fact that I had gone to sleep at 2 A.M. the past night. I went downstairs, greeted my Pitbull and Boxer. Rowdy-girl, the not so scary pitbull, was very mellow. However my puppy Boxer Archer loves jumping on me. We had just adopted him a week before. He was a young dog however definitely not a super smart one. Something special about my family is that we celebrate Christmas mostly on Christmas Eve, leaving present-opening for Christmas Day. Although we usually would begin cooking traditional family meals that have gone several generations back early in the morning, our lack of spirit caused us to barbecue steak and green-beans later that night instead. My siblings woke up (at last) and were also dull and spirit-less. Christmas Eve was just another boring day living through a global pandemic. December 25, 2020. Now my family woke up later than usual. Although in earlier years we would open presents at 6 A.M., this year we dawdled, made breakfast, and opened out presents around 9. I love dancing. I received a skirt for ballet class, 200$, hair supplies, jewelry, and a purse. I was very happy. Although it wasn't the best Christmas ever, I definitely had a good time. -
2020-12-24
My Christmas of 2020
During the December of 2020, my Christmas was different for me this year because I was socially distanced and I was careful when I was with family. First, when my family arrived at my cousin's house, my cousin and I decided to walk his dog and I went with him. We wore masks during our walk and we stopped by some houses to deliver presents. We had to be outside, socially distanced, and we had to wear masks to deliver the presents. After, we went back and ate lunch, We had sushi and some grilled chicken and it was great! We hung out and my cousins and I played video games together. Also, my dog played with their dog and it was great. I sang some Christmas carols but we had to be outside and socially distanced. We opened presents inside but we were very careful. I got socks, clothes, Airpods, Apple Pencil , etc. We did not give hugs or any other physical contact which helped us stay safe. Overall, this Christmas was very different than the others, because of how we had to stay outside, be socially distanced, and wear masks. I enjoyed this Christmas a lot, and I am thankful I could spend it with my family.