COVID & Alternatives to Travel
Trying to create more experiences and fewer things in the COVID-19 season.
Hello Explorers!
For the last two years we have been talking about what we wanted to do to create more experience for the holidays and buy fewer things; invest in trips and memories rather than buy material items. We honestly believe is a better way to invest our dollars. Year before last, we simply did not have the funds to do so. This year we had some flexibility but with COVID and travel at a minimum it presented a very bittersweet situation, less income but also much lower costs for hotels and such due to decreased visitation. I tried looking around to see if perhaps a mini trip to Baltimore to enjoy the aquarium, explore some ships, and such, but alas with COVID positivity rates increasing we decided to stay home.
We have decided to do a little something different in an attempt to create more and waste less while also trying to engage them in the community to understand how important it is to give. For us, that is the fun of the holidays, but kids can easily get lost in the gift-receiving excitement and it is important to us that they learn the importance of giving!
First, we are registered to take part in wreath-laying at the Arlington National Cemetary. We registered last February them in September we received an email notifying us to re-register with more stringent information and guidelines for COVID-19 protocols, which is completely understandable. Unfortunately, they have decided to cancel the event completely, again understandable. Second, we decided to take the kids to both pick out the cards containing the needs and wants of a local kiddos on Angel Tree, produced by the Salvation Army, but they will also selects the gifts for them. We hope that picking out items for other kids will touch their hearts in a different way; help them understand that other children don't have what they do. In future years, when COVID is no longer affecting our ability to interact with our community as much, we hope to do more things. HabitatRVA, clean up operations, and so much more...we hope.
What we have decided to give the kids. Well, in keeping with creating more we decided to get them all a 3 month subscription to Kiwi. It is a fun box filled with STEM-based arts and craft, science and tinkering, or geography and culture items which they create an item and in doing so they learn about the corresponding subject matter. They also have a box for 2-4-year-olds which means we really can get one for every kiddo. My husband and I have been thinking about them for a while and it just seemed to be a perfect time. If you are interested, check them out here!! #notanadjustafan I'll post a lil update on how the kiddos liked them after Christmas on VCE's social pages for FB and IG. :)
I thought it important to share ideas on how we're trying to accomplish our original goal for the holidays in case anyone else has had similar ideas. I’m grateful we are and here is why. My son told me the other day that he is excited because Christmas isn’t far away. When I asked why the gist of his response was about receiving gifts. Of course, what followed was a mini-explanation about the real spirit of giving at Christmas, but nonetheless it solidified the importance of our decision to alter gift giving. Alas, other gifts will be given and we have not decided on what because we are being more modest in our funds.
The idea of subscriptions extended beyond the kiddos to include my parents and possibly his parents as well. For my parents, I wanted to get the 'Hunt a Killer' which is a murder mystery box filled with fun evidence pieces like books, or rings, or diagrams, and it's incredibly detailed. I found out about these from the brilliant Rachel Maksey on YouTube and every time she shows a box I am very interrested in seeing the items myself! The website itself is really fun with its story video and such. Yay! Unfortunately, sigh, they are sold out and do know when they will be able to add more to their collection. Sniff sniff. I am contemplating giving my mom a Red Bird Vintage box. These lovely people handpick true vintage pieces and create a collection. I wonder if this is too much of my style, but she loves antiques and is a historian.
Well, I hope you all have a wonder-filled holiday season. I know we are going to be staying home a lot, of course. I think we will do a little extra decorations in the home and have fun with festive movies, maybe some games, and make some fun stuff from my new book, "the Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook." I am really excited about that and hope to have some fun sharing those experiences on IG! Hope to see you there. :)
Explore the world, live empowered.
Cheers!
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