When the Halloween stuff goes out on the shelf, so too does the Christmas stuff go out on the shelves beside it.

 Every year as they put out the Halloween stuff they also put out the Christmas stuff. They go hand in hand apparently. Thanksgiving doesn't even get mentioned. With the pandemic going on still in full swing the holidays will be a little different this year. With social distancing still a must I am not sure the family will be able to gather together. That will be very sad but, it's a pandemic so we will have to make memories another way. Today I had my oldest grandkids take snapshots of things that they wanted on Amazon. Although they won't be surprised at what I get them since they picked them out themselves. But I could invision the smiles on their faces and hear the excitement in their voices as they looked for things to take snapshots of to send me. It was a Christmas memory that I was able to enjoy in October. I am sure even though it won't be a surprise they will smile every time they remember what gift they were getting from Grandpa and Grandma. As they wander what is in the packages under the tree from their parents and others, the thought of what we will bring over will pop up from time to time. And the day I bring their gifts over even though they know what it is, it will bring a smile to their faces to finally have what they sent snapshots of. It might not be the same kind of Christmas but the Christmas Joy will still be in the air, even during a pandemic. But regardless if they know what is in each package the robots I always make out of their boxes of presents will still make them smile from ear to ear. And even I don't know what they will look like until I start creating them. Don't let the pandemic take the Joy out of Christmas. It may be different but it's an opportunity to get creative with your Christmas Joy and make memories to treasure of your Christmas during the pandemic. I just had Christmas Joy with my grandkids in October because of the pandemic and I will get to enjoy it with them again when it gets closer to Christmas. So it really is all  in how you look at it. I can be disappointed that I couldn't get out and shop for gifts that would be a surprise to them because of the pandemic. Or I can look at the fun and Christmas Joy I just had with my grandkids in October that I had never done before because of the pandemic. The pandemic has many negative effects but if you look for it you would see it also has had some positive effects. Like people getting connected to their human side and having compassion for each other. Like families spending time together and enjoying family meals together. Make a list of all the things you have done that you enjoyed but you would have never done if it wasn't for the pandemic.