This Just In – If you love Grandma, please wash your hands. Yes, again.
As you probably know, I’m a proud grandmother of two sweet and energy-packed boys, ages five and three. I had to laugh a little at the big-deal energy breakthrough this week – the advance in generating fusion energy in the lab. Exciting, yes, but nothing compared to what it would be to bottle the energy of young children and transfer it to the adults to take care of them.
We can dream.
If you’re trying to come up with the perfect gift for the grandma in your life, I can tell you for sure, it is this: promise to wash your hands, cough into your elbow and (sorry) stay home if you’re suffering with a fever and really sick. Would you do what it takes to save Grandma’s life? Of course you would.
I mention this because there are many hairy and scary respiratory viruses swirling around us and according to medical experts there’s an immunity gap after three years of very few people contracting these bugs.
When my grandkids have runny noses, but are otherwise feeling ok, you can’t keep me away from them. If they feel funky, I’m happy to snuggle and read books, giving mommy and daddy a break. And we all wash our hands a LOT.
We’re all exhausted from getting COVID boosters and flu shots and exercising the amount of vigilance and caution that’s been necessary for the last three years. It’s just plain burnout is what it is, but sending an elderly family member to the ICU because of a holiday hug & kiss would be so much worse.
According to CNN, just 50% of nursing homes are up-to-date on COVID boosters for patients and less than 25% for nursing home workers. Good grief.
So for the best holiday gift for anyone over 60 in your life, give them the consideration that shows you want them to be here next year … which is never guaranteed.
With that wrapped up (so to speak), my favorite gifts are the hand-made gift certificates for those things I really, really want:
- A punch card for:
- 12 game nights (once a month) – chips and dip provided.
- 12 Dinner and Dishes nights
- One completely raked yard
- Two clean bathrooms
- A foot massage … maybe two
You get the idea. These are very difficult gifts to get. I have to be very very good to score even ONE of them! When I’m not washing my hands, my fingers are crossed.
I hope your holiday celebrations are everything you hope for and that your wishes come true. Good luck to the Tar Heels in the Holiday Bowl. They’ve given us a lot of joy this year. I hope it’s a great game.
Jean Bolduc is a freelance writer and the host of the Weekend Watercooler on 97.9 The Hill. She is the author of “African Americans of Durham & Orange Counties: An Oral History” (History Press, 2016) and has served on Orange County’s Human Relations Commission, The Alliance of AIDS Services-Carolina, the Orange County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, and the Orange County Schools’ Equity Task Force. She was a featured columnist and reporter for the Chapel Hill Herald and the News & Observer.
Readers can reach Jean via email – jean@penandinc.com and via Twitter @JeanBolduc
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