This year – 2020 – has been an unusual year what with the Pandemic.

With restrictions on restaurant openings, limited crowds in stores, and lots of shortages of toilet paper and disinfectant wipes, and paper towels, we have had to make some adjustments in daily life.

Well, we made it through Easter and Halloween and Thanksgiving – but now Christmas and New Year are coming up. Here are some of the changes we have endured this year and what we can expect.

People are buying real Christmas trees this season and the growers and stores are delighted.

In many neighborhoods, outdoor decorations are resplendent and have increased dramatically this year.

All the running races I normally participate in are now virtual. That means I run the race in our own neighborhood, send in the results and receive a medal in the mail. Pretty neat!

Santa will now be practicing social distancing and no sitting on his lap.

Thanksgiving parades were virtual and Christmas parades will be likewise.

Holiday movies on TV are still on and my favorite is the one with the Clark Griswold Family with the ever weird Cusin’ Eddie. So, if you watch it don’t forget to have some eggnog in a moose mug. And maybe just like Clark Griswold you might receive a year’s supply of jelly for a gift!

We will be installing a smaller tree this year and it will include ornaments from the movie “A Christmas Vacation.”

Dining in restaurants for many people has changed to ordering out. We ordered our Thanksgiving dinner from Kruse & Muer and it was wonderful. Not sure what we will do for Christmas.

To keep in touch with our 11 grandchildren and their parents, we are making a lot of use of Zoom. It’s a great way to see smiling faces and engage in laughs.

People are skipping the malls and ordering gifts and presents on line. Hopefully, the delivery companies will deliver our treasures on time.

Many radio stations are playing Holiday songs. We listen to Holiday Traditions and Country Christmas on SiriusXM.

So enjoy the Holidays. Stay in touch with family on Zoom or Facetime and as Cuzin’ Eddie would say – “Save the neck for me”!

Bill Kalmar

Orion Twp.