Cartoon: Canceling Christmas

Are you dreading making the call to your parents to cancel Christmas this year? I know I was.

Chalk it up to COVID-19 fatigue or a mind that’s overly optimistic, but I was really hoping the region would be in a better position so families like mine could get together over the holidays and reclaim a small slice of what 2020 robbed from all of us.

Sadly, we’re not. Pennsylvania and Delaware are both seeing a spike in new cases that dwarf the terrible peaks we experienced in the spring. New Jersey appears slightly better off, but that’s somewhat of a mirage because their April surge was far worse that what most other states experienced.

I’ve see horror stories online of families torn apart by their differing opinions of COVID rules. SNL seemed particularly on-point with its parody of the situation last week, with Kenan Thompson’s confused father character telling his Christmas-canceling daughter, “We love you, conditionally.” It was so good, it almost made me forget about Jim Carrey’s Joe Biden. Almost.

So when I dialed my Mom on Wednesday, I was expecting the worst. But to my surprise, she completely understood my decision and didn’t apply an ounce of pressure for me to change my mind. Instead, we decided to adjust our annual (and time consuming) tradition of opening one gift at a time together by taking it to Zoom.

All the health experts say not to gather with people outside of your household this holiday season, due to the fact the virus can spread easily even if you don’t have any symptoms. Anthony Fauci is skipping Christmas with his family for the first time in 30 years, saying “even modest size gatherings of family and friends in a home” are contributing to the spike in new case.

It’s not too late to call your family and let them know you’re staying home. It’s for their safety as much as it is for yours. And on the bright side, you can order in Chinese food and help a small business at the same time. It’s a Christmas miracle.

» READ MORE: These are the current Pennsylvania coronavirus guidelines

Here’s a roundup of some recent cartoons from me and my colleague, Signe Wilkinson. For more editorial cartoons, visit the Inquirer’s cartoon section.