Let’s be brutally honest. Celebrating any kind of holiday alone (especially when you haven’t seen your family in a long time) sucks big time. No point sugar-coating it. It makes you feel unbearably empty and homesick. You miss your dad’s dad jokes. You miss your mum’s ‘rendang’. You miss your siblings’ annoying bickering.
But to contain the spread of COVID-19, sacrifices have to be made. The faster we break the chain, the faster we get to wake up from this nightmare and be with our loved ones again. Till then, here are some things we can do to help ease some of the loneliness.
1. Virtual Raya Feast
Obviously, having a virtual meal comes nowhere close to the real thing. You can eat together, but you can’t share the food. You get to see your family, but you can’t touch them. So close, yet so far. But don’t let that get you down! Take this time to catch up on how everyone’s doing, and maybe slip in a little harmless gossip about your ‘aunties’ and ‘uncles’.
It’s not enough but it’s better than nothing.
2. Play Online Games
Your friends celebrating Raya alone too? Well, get the gang together for a round or two of Dota (or whatever floats your boat). You guys can even gather round (virtually) for a classic game of UNO online!
Once you get into it, you’ll forget that you are being separated by digital screens.
3. Sending Each Other Gifts
Out of sight does not mean out of mind. Send out gifts to your friends and family to let you know you are thinking of them, and so they can feel your love. Presents = presence! And the more personal the gifts are, the better.
You have to get the preparations done in advance, though!
We can do this together! #KitaJagaKita
*Cover image via 3age
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