Holding on to What We Share

By Brooke Clifford

Iwas listening to a segment on the radio recently that discussed Apple’s acquisition of the Charles Schultz Peanuts specials. For the first time in 65 years these specials wouldn’t be airing for free on broadcast television, to which the segment went on to speak about cultural touchstones. My mind has been dwelling on that conversation for the past couple of weeks, as Halloween came and went and Thanksgiving quickly approaches at the time of writing this.

People of every age group could relate to memories of watching Charlie Brown get duped by Lucy once again, and getting rocks instead of candy (hang in there, Chuck), and I think that’s why seeing something like the Peanuts specials become more exclusive content hit many of us so hard. Shared experiences provide an instant way for us to connect with each other, and stay connected across generations.

This year has thrown so much of our lives upside down and turned things we never gave a second thought to as day-to-day certainties into unknowns. Perhaps because of this, the traditions we’ve been able to count on in the past are finding renewed meaning in our lives. Maybe it’s something we as a culture have shared that many of us can identify with, such as seeing a holiday show, or maybe it’s on a more personal scale with family traditions. Through all of the year’s challenges, having those shared points of reference is a major way we can stay connected these days – even when we can’t physically be together.

Last month we had to forgo the maybe perfect Halloween set up (falling on a Saturday during a blue moon?) because of the pandemic and alter our expectations to keep ourselves and others safe. As an adult who, until recently, worked a full time job on the opposite end of the city, my Halloween plans in recent years have rarely included more than collapsing on the couch after getting through traffic and passing out candy to the handful of trick-or-treaters who may still be coming by at that point.

This year, however, I actively made an effort throughout the month to watch fun seasonal movies and special episodes on my Halloween list. Our family did a night before Halloween dinner where we donned witches hats and more traditional masks, enjoyed a family favorite hearty stew recipe, and watched “The Corpse Bride,” one of my personal favorite seasonal films that is only ever aired that time of year. My sister lives in Chicago but she and her husband were able to FaceTime with us for festive cider drinks and toasts before our meal. Halloween night, my roommates and I shared cookies and candy as we watched 1999s “The Mummy” and the DCOM classic, “Halloween Town.” I think everyone needed that extra bit of holiday merriment this year, mixing old traditions while also creating some new ones. We had to make adjustments and it actually felt like the most festive Halloween I’ve experienced in a long time.

When it comes to sharing what we see on television, streaming services have been shifting the way we consume content for years now. While some big hits remain talking points for discussions with coworkers, family and friends, it’s pretty common to miss those shared points of reference because we view things at different rates, someone’s not caught up, or we don’t all have access to the same services.

My roommates and I have a routine of doing dinner together every Thursday and watching “Critical Role” on Twitch, where I enjoy live tweeting with other viewers about the antics and surprises that happen throughout the night and throwing theories around until the next episode. This one weekly event where I connect with others has been a big help getting me through the rough patches of quarantine this year.

Many of us may be facing some tough moments this month so finding an experience you can rely on and share with someone else right now is more important than ever. There is power in the traditions that are worth creating and holding on to.

There are families that maybe for the first time will not be able to celebrate the holidays in person together and enjoy each other’s company as they usually would. While this is difficult, it is also an opportunity to discover the traditions that mean the most to you and your family.

Find ways to bring traditions back or keep them going this season, or even start a new one. Maybe it’s putting certain decorations front and center on display this year, making family favorite recipes and meals together, playing some games or reading certain stories and watching movies. Whatever it is, don’t overlook the importance those experiences have in binding relationships together. It’s about making memories.

So this holiday season, consider putting together a list of the experiences you want to share and who you want to share them with (socially distanced or otherwise). Make a point of doing them, of setting specific time aside to enjoy them where you won’t be pulled away by other distractions. Get creative in how you can include loved ones you can’t be with in person.

With our usual events and gatherings throughout the year on hold, let’s hold on to the experiences we can share that connect us and bring us together.

IN ESCROW

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IN ESCROW

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