I should be in New York City.
This time of year, we normally go for a mini break to the Big Apple. It’s an annual tradition that started when the kids were small, and hadn’t seen snow or a city’s Christmas lights. NYC is a short and easy flight from Grand Cayman, so we would head to the city that never sleeps, for 3 nights, to catch a show, gaze into gorgeous window displays and ice skate around the tree. B&A loved the buzz. D&I enjoyed the break. A change is as good as a rest, as they say, and New York is the polar opposite of island life.
Even though 2020 has challenged travel, it wasn’t an impossibility to go this year. NYC is open to visitors, with a recently reduced quarantine as incentive. Even the Winter Village at Bryant Park and The Rink at Rockefeller Centre are open in an effort to encourage holiday visitors. Apparently, the traffic isn’t too terrible either. If we had asked B&A to fly in from London and meet us there, we could still have taken our little trip, before returning to Cayman for the 15-day quarantine, to which we had already resigned ourselves.
But Broadway is closed. Indoor activities are limited. Subways have seen a rise in crime. And Covid is still alive and well on Manhattan’s streets. So, we decided to stay home.
As it turns out, a simpler lead up to Christmas is not so bad. Today I watched a bird frolic in the air currents, then I repotted a bougainvillea plant, wrapped some gifts, baked gingerbread cookies, (decorated by the fam) and made tacos for dinner. So, instead of hot-footing it through bustling sidewalks to another popular sight (hot chestnuts in hand), we spent much of the day on the couch with the cats and dog. D did Duolingo, A watched an English class on her iPad, while B finished up a uni assignment on his laptop.
A religiously inclined friend of mine posted ‘The first Christmas was pretty simple. It’s okay if yours is too.’ This message feels highly appropriate, perhaps now more than ever.
Whilst we may not have anything newsy or insta-worthy to share, (this is quarantine, y’all, ) I am finding this slower approach to the holidays somewhat refreshing. We have had some extremely stressful Decembers in years gone by. Pre-Covid, December was one of our busiest months at work, and in our days-off we used to cram in kids’ class parties, dance shows, school plays, staff parties, late nights, and shopping sprees, on top of the long weekend to NYC. One December, I was so exhausted that I collapsed while photographing A’s Christmas Dance at Camana Bay. I ended up on a drip at the hospital. After all the test results came back, the doctor announced there was nothing wrong with me. I just needed to rest.
This year could not be more different. We are feeling relaxed, refreshed, and well rested. After the challenges and anxiety that 2020 generously gave in abundance, this downtime comes as welcome relief. We have been able to get things done, and have those conversations that sometimes we don’t quite get around to.
Tonight, we may even watch the movie ‘Home Alone 2’, just to get our Manhattan fix. We’ll snuggle up, with spiced cocoa and freshly baked gingerbread cookies. The we’ll get an early night. Perhaps, I am exactly where I need to be.
