It’s not easy celebrating holidays in a pandemic. Everyone wants to social distance and not everyone knows where other people have been or what they have been doing. During the holidays it’s hard not to feel alone and sad, but there are still ways people adjust and can still carry out regular traditions.
Attending church on Easter Sunday is a common tradition on Easter Sunday especially in Christel Jean-Baptiste’s, a sophomore at the Malden High School, family. “In church, [Jean-Baptiste] celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Divina Wembi, another Malden High School sophomore, goes to church on the holiday as well. Although, neither sophomore could go to church for Easter this year and each student was not able to interact with friends and any other family besides direct relations, due to COVID-19.
Jean-Baptiste and Wembi both were able to spend time with their family, which was something that didn’t change for their holiday celebration. To substitute going into church Jean-Baptiste watched a film involving resurrection with her close family, her mom, and brother who were the only family she was able to see.
The COVID-19 pandemic set an inconvenience to most families on every celebration in Malden this year, making some people adapt to change and some to live through the change. Wembi celebrated with her mom, older brother, and sisters. “We like to celebrate holidays by being fully engaged with one another,” said Wembi. Engagement is crucial and very important to remember and work at now that people know what it’s like to be ‘frozen in time.’
Another way to stay connected with family is using connection. During Easter Sunday, Jean-Baptiste did just that, “We didn’t get to celebrate with family, instead we used Facetime called, and messaged each other ‘Happy Easter’ and caught up with everyone and what they’ve been up to,” said Jean-Baptiste.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has kept us away from interactions and another holiday half celebrated, there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. More vaccines are being created and the allowances for who will receive one are changing quicker than everyone believed. It may be hard now but if we continue to follow guidelines and restrictions this tsunami will pass sooner and faster than anyone can blink. For now, especially during holidays check in with those you love because it is easy to feel unloved in a time of isolation and departure from the world.
