2020 holidays look different

Photo+by+cottonbro+from+Pexels

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Sullivan Hart, Writer

This holiday season is one of sacrifice. Many students at NPHS have opted to stay at home this December because of recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control. Instead of celebrating their winter festivities with their extended families, the majority of students seem to be celebrating with their immediate families exclusively. Any out-of-New Prague travel seems to be uncommon, and out-of-state travel is rare. However, there are some exceptions. 

There are some students who are planning to see their extended families, and travel is necessary to accomplish that. It seems that most students who are planning to travel to celebrate with their extended families are taking precautionary measures prior to these trips. This includes quarantining, taking COVID tests, and generally being more careful over the coming weeks. This is yet another example of a compromise that is being made this year. Students are sacrificing their already restricted time in school, social lives, and many other aspects of their lives to travel safely to see their loved ones. In some cases, students are seeing family members they typically see relatively often for the first time in 9 months. 

In addition to sacrificing celebrations with their families, many students are also missing different activities they would usually partake in through places like their church, clubs, and social circles. Some students are choosing to celebrate through contactless means like virtual dinners, online “Secret Santa,” and many other innovative festivities. This year’s holidays will not be the same as years past. Every student at NPHS is making some sacrifices this year.