Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2020

17 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.VOICEofMPpodcast.com T he holidays may look a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean that you have to abandon all of your festive traditions. With a little twist, you can make your favorite activities safe for everyone. You may have adopted some of these traditions already, and you might end up keeping some of the new ones for years to come. ZOOM HOLIDAY BAKING Whether it’s gingerbread cookies, pecan pies or rugelach, you probably have a stockpile of all of your favorite holiday recipes. Instead of baking solo, ring up some of your relatives on Zoom or FaceTime and chat while you bake together. Bonus points if you can talk to a relative that passed the recipe on to you — many grandparents would love coaching little ones in the kitchen. Ask detailed questions about how they make their specialties so you get it exactly right, or test out a few ingredient substitutions to switch it up. If you can’t think of anyone to get a recipe from, try asking relatives to guide the kids through one of your most popular bakes. Cookie swap parties are another favorite seasonal tradition made even better when you can invite friends from near and far. You can swap recipes over email beforehand, then keep each other company while you bake on camera. If you are comfortable sending and receiving food, send cookie care packages to each person on the call once you finish baking. SECRET SANTA BY MAIL This might take a bit more coordination, but it’s another great way to include friends and family that don’t live close by in the holiday fun. A virtual Secret Santa exchange can have the same rules as it would in person. Start by appointing one person as the organizer, who can gather each person’s wish list and distribute them to Secret Santas. Make sure to set a date to open the gifts so that packages are mailed out in time. You can have a video party to watch everyone open gifts at the same time. Want to make sure the senders stay a surprise? Use the organizer’s address for the return address on each package. Then have everyone guess who their Secret Santa is before the big reveal. HOLIDAY MOVIE MARATHON Holiday movies are arguably one of the best parts of the season. It’s the perfect excuse to get cozy in your pajamas, curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and relax with a BY KATHERINE WATERS Making Spirits Bright Socially Distant Holiday Activities