This year, 2020, is just an extra kind of year, isn’t it. The kind of year where nothing is predictable and everything has you thinking outside of the proverbial box. Why not just ride that wave of doing things differently all the way through 2021. Here are some ways we’re thinking of closing out the year.

1. Not waiting to get in shape

“I’ll get back to the gym after the holidays,” is the thought process that’s so easy to fall into. It’s usually a super busy time of the year that typically has us party hopping and a little exhausted.

With fewer commitments in 2020, being at home more creates a little more space for you to preserve that workout routine. Instead of an on-the-go busy holiday season, we’re taking advantage of a freer schedule by giving ourselves the gift of maintaining (or kickstarting) a powerful workout routine. The benefit? We’ll be ready to hit the beach in March instead of August for once!

Here are a few resources that we’re counting on to get (and keep) going:

• Tree of Life Wellness Center is our pick for yoga, pilates and barre routines (and more!). Think strength, flexibility and peace of mind. See the latest class schedule.
• F45 Fitness, opening in December (and on the lawn Saturday mornings in the meantime), is our pick for high-intensity interval workouts in very efficient 45-minutes-and-your-done sessions.

• Know your goal – It all starts with a vision and a goal. Put numbers to that goal by knowing your starting point. Nutrition Nation offers a free body fat measurement scale that will let you know, quite accurately, your starting point. They invite you in for a free update at any time, so plan to pop by for a visit once a month for a progress check.

2. Taking Thanksgiving outdoors

Texas gives us some of our best weather in November. In an effort to create the requisite space 2020 requires, we’re contemplating taking celebrations outdoors. Here are two ways to do just that:

Host a drive-thru Thanksgiving – Instead of hosting a house-full of people, maybe you make little Thanksgiving-themed bites and tarts for friends who want to drive by and say hey! Mini-Thanksgiving treats are so cute and are so good to eat:

• Turkey and Cranberry Minis – View Recipe
• Cranberry Brie Bites – View Recipe
• Sausage Balls – View Recipe
• Candied Walnut Brussels Sprout Bites – View Recipe
• Green Bean Casserole Bundles – View Recipe

Byrd Mill is our go-to for finding the cutest serving platters and decor.

Take your feast to the campground – Take the family for a hike and a cookout for a super adventurous (and socially distanced) feast. Think this might be fun? Here’s a great article on how to turn your Thanksgiving feast into an epic cookout.

Lone Star Dry Goods is our pick for your outdoor gear, such as Leathermans, backpacks, caps and jackets, grilling spices and so much more. Click below to visit their Leatherman collection:

If you are in need of a Thanksgiving meal that is easy (aka someone cooks it for you!), then the Drakes Yoke Drakesgiving Menu is the answer. They are taking orders until November 22.

3. Letting the Kids Host Zoom Parties

The kids have all the Zoom skills, so why not kick back with your holiday treat du jour and a glass of wine, and let the kids host family and friends on Zoom.

Have the kids “decorate” by creating custom winter-themed Zoom backgrounds – You can upload any image as a background to Zoom, not just the pre-made ones. So, have the kids draw, paint or photograph any “decor” they’d like to upload as a custom background (here’s how). Sure, your Zoom background might now come with an elf hat that you must now “wear” courtesy the kids…just go with it. Let them have fun.

Have the kids host a holiday-themed game – Holiday bingo, charades and so many more games work great virtually. Here and here are two sites that have gathered some virtual game ideas for you.

Have the kids judge an ugly sweater (or crazy hat or funny pajama) contest – Stick to a traditional ugly sweater party or focus on hats (since Zoom is focused on heads after all), or anything else you can think to turn into a goofy contest. Whatever it is, your virtual party is only limited by your your kids’ imagination. What could go wrong, right?! But seriously, give them this one year to get super silly and host an awesome party over Zoom. Maybe it becomes a new tradition.

Whatever the remainder of 2020 holds, make it great. Wishing you many wonderful memories with you and yours during this winter season.