Celebrating Christmas and the New Year in isolation
Ever since I can remember – from the early 1950s – Christmas has always been a time of joy and jubilation, a celebration of hope and optimism for the future, a new starting point that begins with Christ’s birth.
Back then, society had not yet entered the era of consumerism. In those days, it was quite common for parents to buy their children a new outfit or a pair of new shoes to be worn in the coming year and which were used – for the first time – on Christmas day for going to church. Even for the poorest families, it was common to have some kind of meat on the Christmas table. A (not particularly large) gift was expected from the parents and the godfather or godmother of the child and, of course, the “pouloustrina” from the grandfather or the grandmother on the day of Epiphany. Christmas was a family affair, as it continues to be to this day.
This year, however, it has all been overshadowed by fear and the resulting social isolation which has been caused by coronavirus, particularly amongst the elderly. As the pandemic intensifies (both globally as well as in Cyprus), it becomes increasingly likely that the grandparents will not spend Christmas with their children and their grandchildren. The New Year’s Eve celebrations, which the ‘upper-class people’ truly love, will be unattainable this holiday season. Churches, even for those who attend no more than a few times a year, are inaccessible. The Christmas tree will not be as bright as in previous years and the Christmas table will be less festive. Damn the cursed coronavirus!
Nonetheless, rejoice and be happy! There are a few reasons for being joyful.
Look at your inevitable isolation as an opportunity to exclusively enjoy the company of loved ones, without the interference of other people, who may not be so welcome. If you are an elderly couple, enjoy your partner’s undivided attention, which you probably have not had the opportunity to do for many decades. Lay out a table for two, light a small candle, put on your favourite music, open a nice bottle of wine and drink to your health and to the health of those you love.
If you are an elderly person alone at home, what do you do? Do not panic, have courage! Put on your fancy clothes and spray on a little of your favourite cologne or perfume. If you have somebody at home to look after you, invite them to join you at the festive table. Make the most of the means of communication you have at your disposal and utilise them to reach, at little or no cost, the persons you love, irrespective of how far away they are. If you are connected to the internet and to one of the well-known communication applications, ideally providing image and sound such as Skype, WhatsApp, Meet, Zoom, Teams or Signal, connect with the persons you love for as long as you wish. Even if you do not have access to the internet, use the telephone to hear the voices of those you miss so much. Take an album containing old photographs and travel back in time to revisit moments of happiness. Make this Christmas an occasion for revisiting the past and placing the emphasis on the good moments of your life.
If you have company, don’t get carried away and neglect the precautions which you must maintain at all times. The virus is still amongst us and is looking for the opportunity to strike those who are frivolous and irresponsible. Don’t do him the favour because such reckless behaviour can prove fatal.
2020 was a leap year. You know it because you have experienced all the evils that have hit us. But 2020 will soon be gone and a new year will arrive, full of expectations for joy and achievements. Whether these expectations will be realised or not depends to a great extent on us. Think of what you have done wrong in 2020 and ensure that you do not repeat the same mistakes. Successful people are not those who spend their time justifying their past mistakes but those who learn from them and do not repeat them.
Have courage and do not be afraid. Our suffering is coming to an end with the arrival of the vaccine and the arrival of the New Year, which signifies a new beginning. However, in the meantime, do not relax the protective measures because it would be a pity to fail to reach the finishing line when the distance you need to cover is only a few metres.
Merry Christmas! Let us hope that the New Year will bring the much-desired reunification of our homeland. Of course, we will also need to give it a push. Reflect on the problem without fear or passion and in a time frame that covers the lifetime of your children and your grandchildren. Be guided by your mind rather than your dreams and ensure that you are pushing in the right direction. Happy New Year!
Christos Panayiotides is a regular columnist for the Cyprus Mail, Sunday Mail and Alithia
