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The holidays mean something different to everyone; however, they usually bring about a feeling of warmth and good cheer. This aura around the holidays is often attributed to the community and annual traditions of families and friends. With a socially isolating pandemic still in effect, will this feeling wane? With everyone coming from different backgrounds, the films, shows, and media that make us feel “Christmasy” can vary greatly.
For some, watching the Doctor Who Christmas special or baking cookies with their family is what launches that holiday spirit. As a child with mixed heritage and family spread across the world, my holiday traditions span from All-American to uniquely ours. Whatever way your family celebrates, here are some of my favorite fandom centric traditions that promise me a feel-good holiday season.
Travel Traditions
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of holiday travel for many across America. Living a long distance from my immediate family means that Thanksgiving is often the first time I see them in person all year. But as Christmas and New Years roll around, the craziness of travel seems to escalate. The hassle of busy airports can sometimes dull the anticipation of reconnecting, so to help fend off travel frazzle, listen to some podcasts that can put you in the holiday spirit. Even with travel modified this year, you can still listen to shows like To Death Do Us Blart and The Thrilling Adventure Hour to feel the excitement of knowing the holidays are coming.
These shows are family-centric as well and remind us how much we love those close to us. To Death Do Us Blart is an annual podcast where the McElroy brothers (The Adventures Zone, My Brother, My Brother, And Me) and Tim Batt and Guy Montgomery watch Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 and review it every year. I’ve never seen the film, but the wild commentary and dread of another rewatch in the podcaster’s voices make me laugh every year.
The Thrilling Adventure Hour is a stage show in the style of old-time radio. Packed with a star-studded cast, the show makes you feel nostalgic, even if you never listened to “old-time radio” when you were young. Though the regular Thrilling Adventure Hour shows were discontinued, virtual shows were held this year to raise money for charity and come together as a fandom for good. No matter where you go or can’t go this year, these podcasts bring us together without the dangers of proximity.
Sometimes, the traveling itself is more eventful than the holidays themselves. Even if you’re trapped in the airport like the characters in New Girl, you can find ways to make the holidays special. Though connecting with fellow travelers should be socially distanced, take a moment to consider the needs of those around you. Especially with the extra pressures of pandemic travel, those working in the travel industry and fellow travelers could use some compassion. Make a new tradition to be kind to others as you travel.
Fandom Holidays
If you’re looking for ways to combine your favorite fandoms and traditional celebrations, many fandoms have special holiday traditions and even entire holidays that bring a festive mood. Created by the McElroy brothers, Candlenights can be celebrated and created to honor all the holidays mashed together. Encompassing Christmas, Hannukkah, Kwanza, and more, Candlenights strives to focus on the joy of diversity. My Brother, My Brother, And Me usually has a Candlenights special around Christmas itself but not solely about the Judeo-Christian holiday.
Looking for an alternative to the commercialization of Christmas? Try Festivus from Seinfeld. Find a nice aluminum pole and get ready to air grievances, and perform feats of strength to finish the festivities. Even things like watching the Doctor Who special every year or having a Star Wars marathon while everyone has time off can bring familiarity and a festive spirit to a year filled with strife. Finding traditions that represent what the holidays mean to you brings fans and fandoms together to create a kindred spirit that lasts into the New Year.
Christmas Traditions
Watching A Christmas Story on repeat at my Grandmother’s house is a Christmas Eve afternoon tradition. Waiting for the midnight Christmas service is filled with familiar laughs while watching Ralphie navigate the holiday season. Because my mom is Taiwanese, we often have duck or a Taiwanese meal of some sort around or on Christmas. The ending scene at the Chinese restaurant in A Christmas Story is more relatable than one might think.
TNT and TBS have run the movie as a 24-hour marathon since 1997, so it is an easy and light-hearted film to add to your cinematic traditions this year. Our family puts up our (fake) Christmas tree on the day after Thanksgiving every year. This rings in the holiday season for us and gives us something to do besides sitting awkwardly in the living room with our extended family. However, the tree isn’t fully decorated until we put the final piece on its branches.
Unlike some households, this is not the star or tree topper. Somewhere in my dad’s fandom past, he acquired a little Enterprise shuttlecraft ornament from the original Star Trek. When you plug it into a Christmas light and press the button, Spock announces, “Shuttlecraft to Enterprise, Shuttlecraft to Enterprise. Spock here. Happy Holidays. Live long, and prosper.” The Christmas creep doesn’t truly start until all the lights, ornaments, and tinsel are on the tree, we plug in the shuttle, and Spock rings in the season.
Since my family lives across the nation, we usually ship everything to one location and wrap them all on Christmas Eve day when we do get together for the holidays. The packaging party is made complete by listening to A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtracks while wrapping gifts makes the holidays come alive. Music plays a huge part in holiday culture around the world. Whether it’s Christmas caroling or just putting on a Spotify playlist of cheery seasonal songs can put you into a festive mood.
Hanukkah Traditions
Hanukkah traditions often coincide with Christmas but shouldn’t be overlooked! The miracle of using oil is especially poignant with the enjoyment of delicious fried foods. Ask your Jewish friends for recipes or look up your own to learn more about the culture and meaning surrounding Hannukkah.
Alternatively, incorporate traditions that cross-cultural boundaries like gingerbread Hannukkah houses or decorate your house and living spaces with lights. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or want to connect with your friends who do, these traditions are a wonderful addition to your season.
New Years Eve
One of my favorite traditions is going to see a movie on New Year’s Eve. While it is wonderful to look back at the previous year’s accomplishments and ahead to goals to come, sometimes the best way to prepare is to forget your problems for a couple of hours. Losing yourself in a movie you’ve been looking forward to can clear your head and get you ready to face whatever challenges and joys the fresh year brings.
Though movie theaters are not the safest place at the moment, why not try saving a stream premiere movie for the big night. Suppose you haven’t seen recent streaming releases like the live-action Mulan or Birds Of Prey set up a watch party with your loved ones on New Year’s Eve. Or, rewatch old favorites like Die Hard or Home Alone and celebrate new beginnings with cinematic thrills.
Traditions New And Old
So much of what we look forward to about the holidays is looking back to past experiences that made us feel whole. These traditions and others warm my heart and put me into the holiday spirit. Hopefully, they inspire your own cheer or help replace traditions that aren’t possible this year. What sort of traditions get you pumped for the season? Don’t skip out on them just because this year is different. In fact, try leaning into them when you are the most discouraged and share your favorites with others. We all need a boost now and again, so let us let our fandoms bring us together, even when we’re apart.