Can you believe we’re still dealing with COVID-19 as we head into the holiday season?

I sure can’t. It’s surreal. I can remember thinking how miserable it was that we had to celebrate Easter without friends and family around, and now we’re going to have to do it for Christmas, too.

Alas, we have no choice but to make the best of it. Halloween was quiet at our house; we didn’t trick-or-treat or do anything, so instead I bought a ton of the kids’ (and my) favorite candy and we all went nuts. Seriously. Like, I had a bellyache for days; I hadn’t eaten that much candy in years. But man, was it delicious.

I wanted to make Halloween special in its own way since I knew the kids wouldn’t be doing what they typically get to do. It was my attempt to make up for one more thing that COVID-19 has taken away from them this year.

Of course, Christmas will soon be here and with it comes the fanfare, decorations, and tree. In a week or two, we’ll be dragging the huge boxes up from the basement to “Christmas-ify” our house. Truth be told, I have been known to be a bit of a humbug—especially since my husband insists on a real tree every year, which I’m not a fan of. (I grew up with the never-messy, never-dried-out, always-green fake kind.)

My eight-year-old daughter must be thinking about Christmas, because yesterday out of the blue she announced, “We should top off our tree this year with a roll of toilet paper!”

There it is. Right there. That’s why I love my kid so much. She was able to find the funny in a miserable situation. She was able to keep it light. Make it a joke. And I adore her for it.

And you know what? I think she’s right. We should keep the beautiful star packed away and top our tree with T.P. this year.

Besides the fact that it’s hilarious, it’s also a symbol. Of what, you ask? Well…

>> This holiday will look different than any other in our lifetime, and while we are still keeping up with most of the traditions, this is an homage to what’s different, unusual, and a bit “crappy” this year.

>> It serves as a reminder that we have to make the best out of stinky situations, not just during COVID-19, but in life in general. Things don’t always go the way we want them to, and we have to be flexible to handle whatever comes our way.

>> When Christmas is over and we take our trees down, we can start looking forward to next year’s holiday season, when we will be celebrating with those that we love (assuming COVID-19 is a thing of the past).

And next Christmas, when we look up and see that beautiful star (or angel, or whatever you typically top your tree with) we’ll feel so lucky. Lucky that we got through such a difficult time. Lucky to be surrounded by our friends and family. Lucky to be able to celebrate the gift of life and health. We will enjoy every single moment of that celebration like never before.

In fact, I don’t think I’ll ever be a humbug again. I plan to savor every holiday from now on; as long as I’m able to be with those that mean the most to me. I’ll never again take such a simple thing for granted.

Are you with me? Are you going to top your Christmas tree this year with a roll of toilet paper? If so, take a picture and use the hashtag #tptreetopper.
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