All that glimmers

 How is the pandemic going to affect your holidays this year? 

So many people are dealing with this right now and it is a hard topic to address. There are several holidays coming up Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. This Nana has decided that her boys are not going trick or treating this year. I do not feel comfortable sending my boys to some strangers house to get candy from them and not know if these people have been sick, have been around someone who has been sick or what. So we will get doughnuts and cider and buy them all the candy they love and watch Halloween movies on TV and just have our family time. After all it is hopefully just one year that things have to be strange.

Then comes Thanksgiving. We have a large family and usually have Thanksgiving at my sisters house with both sides of her family and well I just don't think that this year it is going to happen. Having that many people together in a home is probably not a smart thing to do with people who work in the public sector and have contact with the public. It is so sad because it is a family time and it is a time we all look forward to being together. For me the biggest change is that I am going to have to cook a Thanksgiving dinner here for us which is something I don't ever usually do. What are your Thanksgiving plans?

Then come Christmas my most favorite time of the year. Shopping is going to be different this year. I of course plan to do most of my shopping online this year. Which can be an issue my husband who works in retail has said that if you want Christmas presents we need to start early because there is going to be shortages and issues getting products as he faces that every day at work. Christmas is such a family time. I remember as a child even we would go to church on Christmas Eve then go to my dad's parents house and we would go for a ride to look for Santa and then come back and open presents then later in the night we would have a feast of snack foods. Then we would go home and go to bed and wake up in the morning and open presents at our house and then go over to my dad's parents again for breakfast and then head to my mom's parents on Christmas morning and open presents there too. It is a childhood I tried to replicate for my children as being with my family was always something I enjoyed. Family is so important in young children's lives also.

Here in lies the issue with this year. Our parents are  older and more at risk for this virus. We do not want to jeopardize their health at all so we will do what needs to be done as hard as it is and as different as it is going to be the health of my loved ones is more important. I want them to be around for a long time. So to sacrifice seeing them for one holiday season is something I am prepared to do. Now to try to explain the change to four young boys.  

Some information I found online:  

"The holidays are a traditionally heavy online-shopping season. Last year, 78% of U.S. holiday shoppers used three or more channels to do their holiday shopping,3 and 58% of shopper-reported purchases were made online.4 This year, we expect those numbers will grow, as almost 75% of U.S. shoppers who plan to shop this season said they will shop online more for the holidays than they did in previous seasons, and a similar number said they would browse for gift ideas online and not in store.5"

 "When shoppers do decide they’re willing to shop in store, it’s no surprise that safety is a key concern. This means what’s considered “in-store” shopping may look different this year, as alternatives like curbside pickup and contactless buying become the norm. As proof, 53% of shoppers that plan to shop this season said they’ll choose to shop at stores that offer contactless shopping.9 And 47% of planned shoppers said they’ll use options to buy online, pickup in store/curbside pickup.10 In May, Google responded by adding the ability to note which inventory is available for curbside pickup right in your ads."

"In-store shopping demand is prone to vary throughout the season, with people likely opting to shop during less volume-heavy times. Our research found that 70% of shoppers said they intend to plan their shopping earlier to avoid crowds, and 80% of planned shoppers will consolidate their shopping to make fewer trips than they did in previous years.11 Since online and in-store traffic is sure to fluctuate, retailers should ensure digital strategies remain agile to meet customers where and when they feel comfortable. Leveraging automated solutions, such as Smart Bidding with store visits, is one way to do this.

While this holiday season is one we’ll all be watching closely, it’s helpful to know that shoppers will be thinking — and buying — with a digital-first mindset. To stand out this year, ensure you’re giving people the information they need and the experience they expect."

From Article located at:

Everyone stay safe and remember this is 1 year that things are going to be different. Our world as we know it has to change to protect the people our our world. Be safe and remember to think of others before yourself.