Christmas Parties during a Pandemic

Are Christmas parties possible during a pandemic? 

Well, if you consider staring at a screen filled with tiny squares (each showing either a moving face or a frozen icon) a party, then yes. 

I attended three such parties. Each time, I tried to dress up—from the neck up—to feel Christmassy and get some festive spirit. 

After the third one, I decided to send my regrets to the other invites.  

Parties are social affairs, where people chat, walk, bond, and laugh freely with others. Then there's a rich array of special food. In an online party, these are not possible. The emcees try their darnedest best, but the response they ever get are words in the chat box. The games fall flat because joshing and cheering, which make contests exciting, do not exist. 

So why hold parties during these unusual times? It is one way to "see" each other and to cheer each other up. If we know our Bible, God wants us to be happy. 

Psalm 37:4 (NLT) - “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” 

Psalm 126:2 (NLT)  - “We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. . .” 

In fact, God repeatedly encourages us to be joyful. Words such as “rejoice,” “be of good cheer,” “give thanks” are all different ways of God telling us to be happy.

In the end, however, the source of true joy is in God. Putting the Source of all grace above us is where we find true happiness. 

Christmas in 2021 was indeed a merry one.