Ground Hog Year & Embracing the Festive Lifestyle in 2021
What did we all have in common yesteryear? We were inside. This undoubtedly means more time at home, and for many of us, this has encouraged time being spent critiquing our abodes and as a result, making DIY home improvements. This is all good and well, be it tying up loose ends or starting fresh on an overdue project — home improvements always provide an effulgent sense of pride. Now, into the first month of 2021 that beaming ‘make the most of it’ attitude and positive sentiment may be wearing a little thin, so what can be done about the current looming cataclysm?
I grew up Roman Catholic and attended schooling as such, this earmarked the social and holiday calendar growing up and therefore influenced celebrations with friends and family. There aren’t many that would disagree it has been difficult to worship with one another this year, unable to gather in churches or at houses, whatever your calendar. The government’s somewhat erratic decisions surrounding restrictions on gatherings have certainly caused upset — namely, Matt Hancock’s last-minute hast to announce the reinforcing of lockdown rules on the eve of Eid and the U.K.’s second lockdown impacting on Diwali celebrations. Solutions and an abundance of innovation came out of necessity last year, such as virtual mass, zoom dinner parties, and most doing their part virtually meeting friends aiding in lifting spirits until now.
While performing tasks dripping with ornamental minutia has helped thus far in distracting some of us from the hideousness of 2020, learning new skills, refining a possessed skill we wished to cultivate, and decelerating the fast life. Recently I have noticed a shift in the disposition of individuals, perhaps as the novelty of the concept to accept and make the best of every last mundane eventuality with alacrity wears off.
Speaking with a friend recently, they detailed how their mental health has had delayed consternation regarding the last year, and the expected fear and dismay they presumed they’d feel at the beginning of quarantine has caught up with them. For many of us, this has become apparent and when I prompted my veritable friend on the last time they had done something for themselves they drew a blank. I got to thinking that this is the sentiment among many, we’ve exhausted the newness of our home lives, within this lies the issue… We’ve all but thrown in the towel. While I understand as human beings, not every day can be sugar-coated in a vivacious “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed” accession and approach to our monotonous daily assignments, sometimes a “fake it until you make it” avenue may be a pathway to contentment.
I believe the key to unlocking feelings of content and peace in this bizarre, almost dystopian period in history is to err on the side of slightly deluded optimism. I know, far easier said than done as worries surrounding the health of loved ones, business finances, and folks alike mount, but I am talking about “Domestic Morale”. I’m coining and defining the term “Domestic Morale” as the enthusiasm with which you spread cheer and elation around your household. For a somewhat eccentric individual such as myself, this means, as a rule, EVERYTHING has to be a big deal, and I mean everything. Get festive! St. Patty’s Day? Force the menage to dress in green for dinner, bake a fluorescent green cake for Pete’s sake, or for Patrick’s sake I should say. This goes for any holiday you can find and for any age, with respect to other cultures of course. There are calendars online depicting in detail various random holidays, therefore the aforementioned rule goes for doing a bunny-themed Easter, perform a mini-play to your housemates on Shakespeare Day, camp in the garden for June solstice, construct an autumnal wreath in September, find a pumpkin patch and go picking in October, make it a Halloween week and for many of us Christmas begins on November 1st.
For the singles amongst us, I understand Domestic Morale may be redundant for you. While I never make any qualms about enjoying my own company, whether I am living alone or in a house of 10, the same amount of effort would be put into my festive flare in aesthetic decoration for my own personal gratification, serenity, and convivial merriment, I know this isn’t the case for all. After 10 months of lockdown for some, one may find themselves choking in desolation and loneliness. Fear not, it isn’t too late to reach out to someone you haven’t spoken with in a while, the novelty of creativity hasn’t worn off. Throw a 70’s themed zoom night, with quizzes, music, and ridiculously extravagant absurdity. You need not worry about having to plan everything yourself either, delegate portions of the evening to different friends. if you need a mind refresher though, here are some things you can do that you may have forgotten about:
- Listen to a podcast;
- brush up your education on Black Lives Matter;
- recreate a fun famous dish e.g. A Big-Mac (but.. you know… healthy);
- self-care, bath bomb yourself to oblivion;
- virtual karaoke;
- at home ‘Bake off’ competition;
- try your hand at raising cacti or flower arranging;
- bleach tie-dye (a personal favorite); and
- start your family tree and look into your ancestry, this may help to engage with family members also.
To conclude, in an effort to look back on the last year with some nostalgia and enter the new year with hope, if at all possible try to practise each day with ardour. Isn’t that what all philosophy books are telling us anyway? Live in the moment and be present. If ever we need a reminder to yield perspective in this life, it is now — look to your loved ones and what legitimately matters. Seek to rehearse and exercise gratitude for the positives and blessings in your life. Whatever the problem is, tomorrow is another day, and however faint, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Have a go at ameliorating your Domestic Morale.
Below I have listed relevant organisations if you are in crisis, please do not hesitate to reach out — someone cares. someone wants to listen.
