Judging by the number of social media posts featuring thermometers, sick-day selfies, and complaints about missed festivities, I’d wager we weren’t the only family whose Christmas looked more like a quarantine ward than a Hallmark movie.
It all started on Christmas Eve when Ike’s positive flu test confirmed my worst fears. Eleanor, ever the overachiever, joined the fever brigade just hours later. And by the time I started feeling that telltale ache two days later, it was clear: Christmas was canceled. Well, at least the version with matching pajamas and caroling.
Less “sleigh bells ring,” more coughing all the way.
Fewer “bells on bobtail,” more fevers we have felt on high.
Christmas in Quarantine
Despite their fevers running as high as their Christmas morning excitement, the kids managed to make the most of the holiday. A 1,000-piece LEGO set was painstakingly assembled between rounds of Motrin, and the brand-new inflatable tumbling mat saw some cautious action (with an appropriate six-foot buffer from any healthy passersby). Meanwhile, I lay in bed, my fever hovering just above 100, feeling like I’d been hit by a festive freight train.
Let me just say—children and adults experience illness VERY differently. The kids were on fire (literally, thanks to their fevers), but they somehow still had the energy to build and bounce. I, on the other hand, was reduced to a groaning, blanket-wrapped husk of my former self. Achy skin, bone-deep exhaustion, and the kind of fatigue that made even scrolling through TikTok feel like an Olympic event.
The Silver Linings
Was it the Christmas we planned? Absolutely not. But, between the fever dreams and the constant reapplication of cool washcloths, there were some unexpected bright spots:
- Forced Rest – When else do you get full permission to do absolutely nothing for days on end? (Even if it wasn’t by choice.)
- Minimal Cooking – Soup, crackers, and electrolyte drinks replaced the usual holiday feast. Fewer dishes, fewer regrets.
- A True Break – No traveling, no house-hopping, no holiday exhaustion beyond the flu-induced kind.
Wu-Tang, Our Unsung Hero
Through it all, our beloved family dog, Wu-Tang, remained steadfast in her duties: lying directly on top of sick bodies, sniffing out any unattended snacks, and, in a particularly heartwarming moment, stealing an entire discarded tissue from the trash (germ transmission at its finest).
Wrapping It Up (No Bows Necessary)
We may not have had the Christmas we envisioned, but we survived. And really, isn’t that what the holiday season is all about? Love, family, and making the best out of unexpected circumstances. Even if that means celebrating from under a pile of blankets with a thermometer in one hand and a LEGO instruction manual in the other.
So here’s to next Christmas—may it be filled with joy, good health, and significantly less flu.
Have you ever had a holiday derailed by illness? Share your survival stories in the comments!
