Karl Lohnes: How To Create ‘Peace On Earth’ At Home During The Holidays

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The week between Christmas and New Years (I like to call it the Twilight Zone) can be challenging for families when they are locked up together, especially this year, with another round of ill-timed warnings against travel and big gatherings.

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While many crave a little downtime after the hectic run-up to the big day, it’s important to keep families engaged, busy, and … not at war! The secret to ‘peace on earth’ at home is planning a schedule of daily activities that everyone in the family can look forward to. Having themed lunches or dinners, theater nights, and Zoom parties online are just some of the ways to get everyone involved and help them have fun all week.

Fun at lunchtime

Scheduling the week with themed meals is a great way to get everyone at home excited about eating together. From a costume party brunch to themed dinner menus based on faraway places you’ve visited, there are plenty of ways to create fun experiences that surpass, or at least rival, the big dinner on Christmas Day.

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A great source of help for themed dinner is M&M Food Market’s frozen food kits and prepared food. My favorites are the Mexican dinner kits, which include things like empanadas, spicy poblano chicken firecrackers, and chicken fajitas.

Just take main courses or meals out of the freezer a few hours before dinner and you’re on your way to throwing a festive feast. If you can’t travel, you can at least recreate some of the culinary delights and celebratory feeling of a family vacation, and don’t forget to play some authentic music (maybe Merry Christmas just one more time?).

Movie nights

Blankets, popcorn, lights out! Movie nights are a great way to spend time at home on frosty nights. For those who love British productions, I have discovered the BritBox online streaming service, which offers classic BBC and ITV shows across the pond and in your living room. Mysteries, comedies, dramas and documents in English will fill your dark and stormy nights with world-class programming that has traditionally only been available in the UK.

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Garnish your royal performances with British-inspired sandwiches (I’ll have the sausage roll, the onion cheese fries, and the hot chocolate – made with classic Cadbury milk chocolate, of course!). Aunt Lizzie won’t be surprised when British hits like Upstairs Downstairs, French & Saunders or Downton Abbey are on family room television in a marathon of all-out British shows!

Move to the beat

Want to help locked-in kids burn off excess energy from eating chocolate 24/7? Or how about having a fun New Year’s Eve get-together for all ages? Plan a family dance party. Clean the coffee table and swap out the bulbs for multi-color LEDs to instantly create a disco atmosphere. Then hit play on tunes the whole family will love.

For the latest dance moves and music, download Just Dance 2022 from Ubisoft, an online streaming service that offers the latest dance songs and animated graphics, as well as dance moves to emulate. All you need is an internet-connected display and your smartphone (to use as a controller) to access the latest 40 dance music hits and follow the on-screen dancer.

Why not host upbeat dance contests to keep the whole family moving and on the move? Expand your party with other families to create the feeling that a large group is all together. Young or old, a few hours of non-alcoholic cocktails, music and dance moves will give young and old some cardio and encourage “quiet nights” where everyone sleeps like a baby.

Do you have a decorating dilemma or want to give your opinion? You can contact Karl on Instagram at Karl Lohnes.