Navigating the Holidays in 2020

How to focus on what matters most during this unusual time

The holidays are a mix of joy, excitement, and stress for most families with special needs, but this year is different for everyone. While most holiday seasons are full of hustle, bustle, and checking things off your to-do list, this year, safety will be at the top of everyone’s list. How to navigate the holiday season during a pandemic is challenging, but keeping a positive attitude can go a long way to making the most of this year’s celebrations. You can still fill your holiday season with joy and fun while also on focusing things that make the most sense for your family.

Create new traditions. Sticking with old traditions is great, but this is also a perfect time to create new ones. Maybe it’s a holiday movie night at home with festive pajamas and your favorite movies. For those who love crafts, you could make a special ornament or holiday decoration together as a family. To give back, you could spend an evening writing cards for seniors at a local nursing home or shopping online for Toys for Tots or any other organization that takes gift donations during this time of year. Celebrate the freedom of new traditions and focus on activities that your loved one with a feeding tube can participate in and enjoy. New traditions that you start this year might just become some of your family’s favorite holiday activities every year.

Adjust old traditions. Old traditions can still be modified to make sense this holiday season. If your family usually does a gift exchange, change it up to a gift delivery where everyone drops presents off (or has them shipped) and then set a date for a Zoom call to keep the fun of opening presents together. Baking and cooking are big for many families during the holidays, and getting together through a video call and cooking and baking the same recipe is a great way to keep up this tradition. Including your loved one with a feeding tube in these traditions is just as important this year, whether it’s helping make the recipe or just joining in on the video call. Adapting beloved traditions allows for a sense of normalcy that is especially needed this holiday season.

Let go of what doesn’t work. Not all traditions will make sense this holiday season, and that’s OK. Big holiday parties and long distance trips are likely just not possible and may have been difficult for your family even during normal years. Focus on the positive when it comes to needing to skip certain traditions — in many cases, it will give you more time to focus on spending quality time with your family, which is ultimately what matters most. Mealtimes are certainly easier at home, and including your loved one with a feeding tube during mealtime is one of the most meaningful things you can do. If your loved one’s nutritional needs allow, don’t hesitate to blend your normal holiday dinner (or blend sides with a Turkey, Sweet Potatoes & Peaches meal if certain dishes are just too hard to blend) and treats that your family makes every year. This sense of inclusion with the people that mean the most to them can truly make a difference in their holiday season. With all that has happened this year, being included and feeling safe with your family members is the best gift of all. 

Staying positive during these tough times and creating new memories will help make this holiday season just as special as any other year. In many ways, the only thing we can control right now is our attitude toward an ever changing reality — something that families with special needs certainly have experience with. Although the holidays may not look exactly the same this year, the love and joy you feel when you know your family is happy and healthy overcomes everything else. 

Top 5 Tips for Managing the Holidays: More Joy, Less Stress

The holidays are a busy (and sometimes challenging) time for all families, but for those who have a loved one with a feeding tube, it can be an even trickier time of year. Ultimately, we all just want to be able to celebrate with family and friends during this special time of year — to take a step back, have a little fun, and reflect on the year and all we have to be grateful for. Whether you have a feeding tube as an adult, have a child with a feeding tube, or are a caregiver for an adult with a feeding tube, here are a few tips for navigating the holiday season.

1. Plan Ahead. Last minute travel or outings can be difficult depending on the medical conditions and special needs in your family. If you’re flying for the holidays, call your airline ahead of time and ask about their policies for medical supplies (many airlines will allow a free additional carry-on for medical supplies). To lighten your luggage load, consider shipping certain supplies ahead of time. Most hotels will hold a package ahead of your arrival and Real Food Blends meals can be shipped to any destination in the United States — just make sure to call your hotel to ask what needs to be included on the shipping label so you’re sure to get your package.
2. Always Be (Over) Prepared. Even if you’re not traveling for the holidays, odds are you’re going to be spending some extra time away from home this month (even if it’s just to run typical holiday errands). Pack a bag with extra supplies to have in your car just in case–extra syringes, Real Food Blends meals, buttons, extensions, pump bags, blender bottles, etc. You never know how long an outing might really take (especially when you factor in crowds or inclement weather) and you won’t have to rush as much if you know you have extra supplies on hand if you need to fit in an unexpected meal away from home.
3. Manage Mealtime. If you or your loved one only recently got a feeding tube, or if you’re celebrating with friends
   and relatives you don’t see on a regular basis, this might be your loved ones’ first experience seeing a feeding tube. If possible, explain ahead of time how mealtime will work for you or your loved one — we always encourage including family members with feeding tubes during meals just like everyone else! Having a feeding tube isn’t something to be ashamed of — it’s just a different way of getting food into your stomach — so explain the process to loved ones with questions (and even offer for them to help if they want to). Our Turkey, Sweet Potatoes & Peaches meal is a great option during the holidays since it includes several common holiday foods and gives your loved one with a feeding tube another way to feel included during mealtime.
4. Communicate Your Needs. Whether you need to leave a function early, have to duck out to give a medication, need a designated quiet room to use during the family get-together, or need some extra help getting all your holiday errands done, tell your loved ones what you need and what they can do to help. If that means that certain holiday activities just can’t happen this year, or need to change from previous years, that’s OK.
5. Be Kind To Yourself. Even in ideal situations, the holidays can be stressful. No one gets to every single item on their “to do” list and no trip or event ever goes exactly as planned. Remember, it’s important to take care of yourself during the holidays, too, so take breaks when you can and treat yourself however you can. After all, what’s most important during the holidays is spending time with those you love, not seeing how many errands you can run, events you can attend, or chores you can get done around the house. Make sure to make time for your own joy and fun in the middle of all of your “to do’s.”