By: Paola Bencosme
COVID-19 has changed everyday life as we know it, with the adaptation to this “new normal”, the question arises: how much will our new circumstances change holiday traditions? People practice different holiday traditions across the world, whether it’s the way they cook thanksgiving meals to leaving out cookies for “Santa” to enjoy. All these traditions are what make the holiday seasons so special and exciting for people of all ages. While adults are enjoying themselves at family gatherings and nights out with their friends, kids are excited to have a one-on-one conversation with Santa in hopes of getting what they want for the year.
With COVID-19 affecting the world as a whole and the way that people interact with each other, there is a lot of concern as to whether these holiday traditions will be allowed to continue without our compromising our health and safety. According to CNN news, kids will no longer be able to meet Santa, they will have to speak to him from across a vast piece of acrylic glass. Malls have also come with the idea of creating zoom calls for kids that look forward to meeting with Santa without having to break any social distancing guidelines. Because of this, holiday Christmas cards or family pictures with Santa will have to be put on hold for this holiday season. Another solution that has been implemented to make up for this unfortunate situation is creating an area near Santa where families can take pictures with him while remaining at a safe distance. These Santa encounters have incorporated props like large gift boxes, Christmas trees, and elves for those attending to still feel like they can get a better feel for the holiday season as well as a great holiday picture.
Another beloved local holiday tradition that was cancelled this year due to the pandemic was the Santa’s Enchanted Forest Holiday Theme Park. This park contained an abundance of rides, carnival games, and food booths for families and young adults looking for something fun to do with friends during the holidays. Miami residents look forward to the park every year, meaning there was considerable disappointment with its cancellation this year. According to Braddock student, Abel Cardoso, “The [spread of Covid] will definitely make people more weary of all the possible risks of infection and dangers of the virus during the holiday season.” With all the new adaptations that people must make this holiday season, a new question begins to pop into people’s minds. Will the new practices of social distancing and safety regulations cause new holiday traditions to arise? And will we ever be able to go back to our “normal” holiday traditions and gatherings? We are living in a time full of uncertainty so the questions that plague families across the nations cannot be answered but we all hope that these new accommodations that we must make won’t put a damper on this holiday season.
The Watchdog 