This year, it is especially important to keep up the holiday spirit, but it’s also essential for us to stay safe while enjoying all of the festivities. Here are a few coronavirus-safe twists to add to some of your favorite holiday games.
First up, one of the most popular holiday traditions to partake in with friends and family is the Secret Santa gift exchange. This custom consists of a group of people, and each participant picks a person to buy a gift for at random. All participants must make sure to keep the identity of the receiver a secret so as not to ruin the surprise element, which is where the fun of trying to figure out who your Secret Santas is. Normally, the participants would all gather together to exchange gifts and each person guesses who their Secret Santa was. Meeting in person will unfortunately not be an option this year, but there are many online sign-up applications available that you can customize to create an efficient way to randomly assign each person a Secret Santa. Then, make sure to set a budget for the gifts. Once you have bought your gift, simply drop-off or ship it to your person; but make sure to keep your name off of the return label to ensure anonymity. Next, set up a video call with all the participants. The participants then take turns opening their gifts and guessing who they think their Secret Santa is. Though it may not feel as cozy, you can still have fun, and stay safe, with this alternative version of a timeless tradition.
Another common Christmas activity is White Elephant. White Elephant is a little more complicated and the gifts are less practical. These types of gifts are meant to be funny, and are known as ‘gag gifts.’ All participants would normally meet up and each bring the gift they purchased. Then, players would each take turns choosing a gift and opening it, and the game would begin. Participants are allowed to steal each other’s gifts, and each participant leaves with the gift he or she is left with after the last steal. Because you cannot pass gifts through a computer screen, this game may be a little more complicated to play virtually. But again, there are resources that can make the virtual game feel closer to reality. The first method is to use a slideshow. On each slide there will be an image or a description of the gift. That way, each participant can simply write their name on the slide to claim that gift; to steal, another participant can strike out the previous name and write their name. After the final round, gifts can be shipped, or for a sense of community, the participants can choose to wait until it is safe to deliver the gifts in person. Another method that could be a bit simpler is to do a game of Secret Santa, but use gag gifts instead.
These games are a perfect way to combat the sorrow and isolation that many are feeling during the holidays this year; many students at MHS are feeling the impact of the virus dampening their plans for the season. Junior Suhasini Patra said she plans to spend time with her family, watching movies and baking cakes. She hasn’t been able to meet people in a long time due to junior year being hectic, so her plans are to catch up with friends during the holidays; however, due to COVID, that no longer seems likely, Patra said. She and her family also had plans to travel to Las Vegas or New York during the Christmas holidays, but those plans have been cancelled, she added. Other plans MHS students may have include spending the break getting their driver’s license.
Whichever way you choose to spend your holidays this year, make sure to stay healthy and safe. Hopefully, we can all keep the holiday spirit alive and continue our festivities safely.
