NEW KINDA SANTA
In a pandemic, those giving gifts have to get creative
Back when “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” was a song and not compliance with a quarantine mandate, there was a different approach to gift giving.
But with the coronavirus pandemic encroaching on yet another holiday, the Daily News asked New Yorkers about the most indispensable gifts they were buying this year for their loved ones — and for themselves.
Because nothing says 2020 like a tree decorated with personal protection equipment, or toilet paper streaming where tinsel used to hang. And for a city in desperate need of a little holiday cheer, it’s beginning to look a lot like creativity.
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Pierce Crosby, a tech executive in the East Village, used to only give out holiday cards each year. But this Christmas, he’s going full Santa, taking a deep dive into his bag of goodies in his best effort to make the days merry and bright.
CCrosby,b 30,30 saidid theth pandemic d i forced his company to fire a lot of people, and he has been looking for ways to make it up to the employees he lost.
“My company actually fired a bunch of people so I’m actually giving away a bunch of the electronics, old speakers, laptops, stuff like that,” Crosby said.
He has also developed a green thumb during the past nine months, and he plans to showcase his new talent by giving gifts.
“Pretty much all of quarantine I have been propagating plants so my friends will be getting that.”
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Manhattan teacher Katie
Rader used her time in isolation perfectingti herh painting skills.kill And her friends have noticed.
“I’m an artist, a painter, so I’ve had more commissions,” she explained. “I feel like everyone is trying to beautify their interior since quarantine started,” said Rader, 29, who has a lot of gifts to make.
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Sharing is caring, and for Chelsea Abramowitz, it’s sharing some cheer. Abramowitz, 26, is giving her friends vino,
after sheh saw howh so many drank wine to stay sane in quarantine. “I got a big box of wine that I ordered online and I have been putting them in little wine bags and giving them to my friends,” Abramowitz said.
“It’s nice to gift now because everyone is feeling very lonely and that’s why I’ve been gifting many more people that I normally wouldn’t.”
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Anam Farhan is sticking with the pandemic theme this year. Masks will be her go-to gift. “I’m definitely going to give that as gifts this year because I think it’s very important. I still see people who aren’t wearing masks and I think it’s an encouragement if you give it to them.” Farhan, 32, who lost her job as a medical office manager, was walking on the Lower East Side, pushing her son in a stroller.
ShShe was wearingi a mask,k as was her son, whose face covering was stylishly adorned with little blue clouds and designs.
“He’s really good with masks,” she said proudly. ***
Stephanie Grubbs of Hell’s Kitchen got into metal stamping and making sugar scrubs while stuck at home most of the year, and those will be the homemade gifts she gives to loved ones.
“That’s my self-care, taking a bath,” said Grubbs, 50.
She makes the scrubs from organic sugar, organic coconut oil and essential oils.
“It’s supereasy, supercheap, and I always have a jar of that in the shower, so I think everyone should,” she explained.
Grubbs has also been handstamping metal jewelry, and will be making a piece for everyone in her life with a phrase she feels suits them.
She wears a bracelet with the word “serve” stamped onto it.
“When I see it, it speaks to me,” Grubbs said. “Especially right now.” his