By: Merriah Fairchild, Bridgetown Baby

The fall and winter seasons are chock-full of beloved family celebrations and traditions, from Halloween to Thanksgiving, Diwali to Rosh Hashanah, Kwanzaa to Christmas, and all the baby showers and birthdays in between. 

This three-part series draws on the creativity of a diverse bunch of Portland families, who are meeting this challenge with gusto. Their stories and experiences offer examples and inspiration for updated celebrations in the COVID age.

Part 1: October Holidays and Celebrating Birthdays

Sukkot ~ October 2-9

“This fall, our family is looking forward to celebrating a holiday we won’t have to modify at all in order to celebrate fully during COVID-19. During Sukkot, the Jewish celebration of the abundance of the autumnal harvest, families build an outdoor room or shelter called a Sukkah, and essentially eat most of their meals there for seven days. Our family loves this invitation to spend more time outside as the evenings cool, squeezing in more outdoor meals before winter sets in (and even sleeping there for a night or two). The sukkah is decorated with hanging gourds, dried leaves, and fairy lights, giving it a welcoming and magical feel. This year we’ll invite family and friends as usual to share a meal outside, we’ll just space the tables and chairs 6 feet apart. More space for pumpkins and gourds in between!” -Talia, mother to Aleeza (11), Sidra (9) and Orli (6)

Pumpkin Picking

“Fall is pumpkin time in our household! We’ll be heading to Bella Organic on Sauvie Island, both because they’re our annual favorite and because they have easy-to-follow COVID guidelines in place. We’ll be picking up a bunch of apple cider – and, of course, some pumpkins to decorate our porch, even if we may not have trick-or-treaters coming by this year.” -Annie, mother to Willie (2)

Halloween ~ October 31

“We love Halloween! Our boys look forward to it every year. They love walking the streets and seeing all the decorated houses. With the current COVID-19 precautions, Halloween will probably look very different this year. So we are planning a week of Halloween fun at home with pumpkin pizza, a piñata, a dance party and Halloween games.” -Krystle, mother to Kai (8) and twins Everest and Byron (5) 

*see Krystle’s recipes and recommendations for your family’s countdown to Halloween here!

Birthday Parties

“The party took place in the front yard. We kept it simple: pizza and cupcakes, music, and a terrarium building activity that kept the kids busy and engaged. Everyone wore masks and took turns helping themselves to materials and food at the table, maintaining physical distance but finding connection in their time together. This birthday was different for us because we wanted to keep it small enough to spread out and stay contained in our yard. No sleepover, no movie, no roller skating or ice cream parlor. The vibe was more relaxed than in years past, which in many ways was a blessing. There was a closeness felt among the children that might not have been achieved if the party plans had been more elaborate.” -Sarah-Lynda, mother of Ingrid (11)

“Our twins turned six in June of the pandemic. This year, they each got to invite one special friend to participate in a bike parade around our neighborhood. They donned costumes and decorated their bikes. We put the word out to our local neighborhood through little flyers and email that we would be passing by. Many neighbors stood on their stoops to cheer us on, and a couple of kids followed our procession. Even though it was small and short, it was quite celebratory and brought joy to our block.” -Katie, mother to Caden (10) and twins Jude and Ada (6) 

We are wishing you connection and joy as you find new ways to celebrate this year – and we hope you’ll keep us posted on the ways you’ve updated the traditions you share with your littles and other loved ones! Tag us at instagram.com/bridgetownbaby or facebook.com/bridgetownbaby

Pandemic Party Resources

• Hammer & Jack’s toy store offers $3 no-contact delivery for anyone within 10 miles of the shop. Bonus – the shop puts together a super special little gift package for kids. hammerandjacks.com

• For showers or new baby gifts to exhausted new parents, Providore makes an amazing spread of cheeses, crackers, chocolate, flowers, and fresh fruits. providorefinefoods.com

• Lippman Company is Portland’s go-to party supply store – they’re limiting customers in the store to help with social distancing, and they’re now offering curbside pick-up for orders made over the phone. lippmancompany.com

Merriah Fairchild is a Certified Postpartum Doula, IBCLC and Founder of Bridgetown Baby. She lives and parents in SE Portland. During the pandemic, Merriah learned that she enjoys painting houses (her own) even more than homeschooling her two daughters, 7 and 10, but enjoys caring for new and growing families most of all.

Bridgetown Baby is Portland’s premier postpartum doula group, providing comprehensive postpartum and feeding support to help families grow with strength & confidence. During the pandemic, Bridgetown Baby is doing everything possible to minimize risk to families and doulas while providing the support families need now more than ever. To learn more go to: www.bridgetownbaby.com