(StatePoint) This holiday season may look a bit different due to social distancing, but just because everyone is not physically together, doesn't mean your family can't share its favorite traditions.

The Olesen family of O&H Danish Bakery knows how important holiday traditions are to feeling connected to loved ones. Now in its fourth generation, the family-owned and operated bakery is sharing its best tips for creating holiday cheer from anywhere:

• Celebrate virtually: In asurvey commissioned by O&H Danish Bakery and conducted by SWNS Media Group and OnePoll, nearly 80 percent of respondents say time with family is their favorite part of the holiday season. Whether your tradition is a Christmas movie marathon, a caroling session around the piano or eating certain foods and baked treats, you can enjoy these activities together over video chat this year.

• Plan ahead: When it comes to ordering gifts and specially baked treats, make sure to account for busy schedules and congested delivery services to ensure all your goodies arrive on time. Take note of shipping times and policies, as well as ordering deadlines for each company. 

• Create hygge: Evoking the sights, sounds and aromas of a typical holiday season will help make this year feel more cheerful. Take a cue from Danish culture and embrace hygge. Pronounced "hoo-ga," it means creating a cozy atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life, such as the warm glow of candlelight or a steaming cup of cocoa – and there is no better time of year to do it than the holiday season.

• Share traditional foods: The sensory memories that good food creates are powerful. In fact, 44 percent of people say the holiday spirit wouldn't be the same if they didn't have their traditional holiday dessert.

(StatePoint) Give your home a warm and cozy vibe this fall with a few DIY projects that are sure to add seasonal cheer to any space. Whether you're looking for a rainy-day activity to keep kids busy or searching for affordable décor options, these fall craft ideas are a great place to start. All you need is your creativity and a few supplies.

Celebrate fall foliage

Add fall flavor to a tabletop or mantel by filling mason jars with wheat and dried baby's breath flowers. Give the mason jar an elevated look by wrapping it with jute ribbon and lace. Or, you can simply roll coordinating scrapbooking paper into decorative cuffs that slip inside.

Give thanks

Banners are an easy way to make your own décor without spending a lot of money. DIY banners look great on a front porch to welcome guests or they can be used on a mantel. Easily create a banner with paper and duct tape. Write your own message or cut out shapes like leaves and pumpkins and attach them to twine or string.

Get cocoa cozy

Nothing is better on a crisp fall day than a cup of hot cider or cocoa. Make sure everyone in the family has their own customizable mug by using chalkboard paint. Use a quality painter's tape, such as Duck Clean Release painter's tape, to create a crisp border. Then paint on a writable area. Remove the tape and bake the mug for a custom creation that can be personalized with names or festive phrases.

Craft a welcoming wreath

Wreaths are the ultimate seasonal décor item. They are perfect on the front door to welcome guests into your home or can be used to line interior windows for a festive feel. However, store-bought versions can be expensive. Test your crafting skills with a duct tape leaf masterpiece. All you have to do is create a variety of leaves in fall hues out of colored Duck Tape: make two of each leaf, then add wire to the sticky side of one of the leaves so it can easily be shaped, place the two leaves together and repeat the steps until you have your desired amount of leaves.

Scripps Ranch Theatre and Oceanside Theatre teamed up to co-produce their first filmed reading of the play “Donna Orbits the Moon,” by Ian August.

This episode of “This is Our Town” reveals some remarkably enjoyable San Diego establishments with outdoor venues for coffee, music, dancing, dining, drinks and wonderful views.

It’s the summer of coronavirus – and to keep it from spreading we’re staying home more, foregoing big vacations and looking for new ways to entertain and educate kids who have been home for months.

Well, here’s some good news. There are still some great, fun, free or inexpensive things that kids, families and adults can do in July.

For example, you can swap out those big vacations for some shorter, nearby, get-outside, socially distanced adventures at County parks and trails! Virtually tour cool museums, watch science experiments, or learn how to grow stuff, or make stuff.

Here’s just some of the cool things you can still do in July:

County Parks and Recreation Department
Become a Track Trail-er at seven County Parks: Track trails lets kids and their families take self-guided tours on trails at seven County parks and earn rewards for “tracking” their progress in a brochure, then reporting them online by smartphone, laptop or computer. Reach certain milestones and win nature-related prizes, including magnifying glasses, backpacks and bandanas.

Track Trails can be found at Felicita County Park, Guajome Regional Park, Lake Morena County Park, Lindo Lake County Park, San Dieguito County Park, San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve, and Stelzer County Park.

Scripps Theatre Arts, a local youth theater organization that is only about two years old, has been put on pause due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

"We were in the middle of our biggest production yet, 'Beauty and the Beast.' It was going to have the largest cast, set and audience. There were over 70 kids ranging from ages 4 to 16. The production was supposed to be in May," Scripps Theatre Arts founder Alicia Gonzalez said. 

From April to May, the organization held virtual rehearsals and master classes. 

The theater group was supposed to hold three camps over the summer. However, due to the Scripps Ranch Recreation Center not being open for use yet, it had to cancel all three of them. 

Alongside the now cancelled summer camps, the third production of the year in September, which was supposed to be held at Marshall Middle School, is now cancelled as well. 

Due to the ever-changing virus situation, they have decided to go on pause for the whole summer. 

"At this point we are waiting on the Poway Center for the Performing Arts to start booking dates. Once we receive a date from the theater, we are planning to come back at 100 percent or more. The actors need a lot of support. I'm hoping the community comes out in full force to support and fills the theaters," Gonzalez said. 

The organization is mainly funded by ticket sales as well as donations from companies such as Dixieline and people who want to support those in the productions. 

The theater group has only had one production this year in February: "Once Upon a Mattress."

"With the production in February, we introduced a relatively unknown story with great success. Also, it was the most prepared that our youth had been," Gonzalez said.

Scripps Theatre Arts focuses on equity, diversity and inclusion. 

"We want to really include everyone and give children in under-served communities an opportunity and a way for some to get scholarships," Gonzalez said.

Where You Want to Be Tours and Out of the Ordinary Group & Team Adventures presents the fourth in a video series showcasing the most unique places, hidden gems, mystery spots and urban legends in San Diego.

This new episode takes visitors on a “hidden” walking tour through the community of Burlingame.

This tour includes beautiful homes, a cool canyon thick with vegetation and a quick look at the commercial district.

Amid the challenges presented by COVID-19-related concerns and restrictions, Scripps Ranch Theatre (SRT) had to get extra creative during an unexpected and extended intermission. 

"Were on hold, we're not closed," said SRT Director of Public Relations Susan Clausen. 

The theater had the play "Love Song" cast, rehearsed and were close to opening when orders went out shutting down large public gatherings. Since then, the theater has been sharing as many things online as it could. First, in early April, was an online reading of Casey Tibbitts' "A Quiet Cross," a coproduction with Oceanside Theatre Company. No tickets or prepayment were required, but viewers could donate to support the show and the theaters. 

"It's not the perfect medium for theater but it's how we can story tell at the moment," she said. 

Next, was an online concert by singer and actor Luke Monday performing online with his pianist. An online concert featuring singer-actress Nina Herzog accompanied by twin brother musicians Jack and Benny Lipson and percussionist/drummer Jonathan Pinson was set for June 20. A live reading of the Paul Coates play "The Longer You Wait" is scheduled for July. 

"It is definitely a different way to communicate," she said.

She also thinks presenting theater virtually provides an opportunity for people seeking solace or relief in challenging times. Still, the theater expects to feel the pain of the lingering effects. 

"Theater, as a whole, is very dependent on donations and grants, city funding that will drop, and that will affect us," Clausen said. "We'll have to revisit what kind of expenditures we can afford to put out and we'll also continue to count on the support of the community." 

As for when things like community theaters will be able to reopen for in-person performances, SRT leadership is still trying to figure that out. 

"A lot of this will be guided by law and also the response of the community," she said. "What things will theaters have to install to make the pubic feel comfortable enough to come back? As big a question as, ‘what does our future look like?' is ‘what is the community ready for?'" 

An enterprising mother of three in Scripps Ranch has founded the Scripps Ranch Wine Club, a social media group created to bring local women closer together in these times of isolation and division. 

Katie Schmidt – a resident of Scripps Ranch who grew up here, went to Scripps Ranch High School and moved back to Scripps Ranch five years ago to care for her parents – founded the club on Facebook “to create some connections in the community during this season that we’re all going through right now,” she said.

According to Schmidt, the Scripps Ranch Wine Club is similar to groups in other parts of California, including The Ladies Wine Club of Fallbrook in San Diego County.

“It turns out that they have women’s clubs like this all over the place. This is a pretty common thing, I guess, but it seems to be perfect for a tight-knit community like Scripps Ranch,” she said. 

Schmidt started the club on May 20 and within a week there were 500 members.

“It grew very quickly, and we had to cap any new growth until we can catch up with the momentum,” she said. “I’m hoping we can add more members as soon as possible.” 

As with many people, Schmidt was recently laid off and had to shelter in place with her family for an extended period because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Honestly, the idea for the wine club really came out of me feeling lonely and isolated and desiring connection,” she said.

Here’s how the club works: when a new woman joins they are asked to write about themselves, including biographical information, favorite activities and the kind of “self-care goodies” they would enjoy receiving, so that the club members can get to know one another. They also submit their address, choose another member to “wine and dash” and then assemble a wine gift basket and secretly leave on another member’s porch (acting as a “wine fairy,” Schmidt said.)  

Once members receive a wine basket, they delete their address from the list and post a picture of their basket with the hashtag #winefairycame.

It doesn’t have to be a wine basket. Some members may prefer spirits, hard cider or even a non-alcoholic beverage. Schmidt said the typical gift basket will also include items such as a scented candle, some chocolate, perhaps some hand lotion or moisturizer, and maybe even a face mask.  

Many of the members came from Schmidt’s connections with Scripps Ranch Pop Warner and Cheer Association. Her 13-year-old daughter has been involved with that organization, said Schmidt, who also has a four-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old son. 

“I think a lot of people have made connections (through the wine club) with people they wouldn’t have met otherwise,” she said. “And it’s all been done through social media. My vision is to have a wine tasting gathering, or maybe a Temecula wine tour together. I can see this being a great bond after some of these restrictions are lifted. There’s obviously a need for it.” 

Scripps Ranch Theatre (SRT) – located on the campus of Alliant International University ­– and Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC) – the resident professional theatre company at The Historic Brooks Theatre – present Nina Herzog in concert accompanied by Jack and Benny Lipson, and percussionist/drummer Jonathan Pinson. The concert will stream live on Facebook on Saturday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Seacoast Media Lab, LLC – publisher of Scripps Ranch News – presents the third in a video series showcasing the most unique places, hidden gems, mystery spots and urban legends in San Diego.

This new episode takes visitors on a “hidden” walking tour through the historic and established coastal community of Point Loma.

This tour includes beautiful homes, gardens and crisp views of the ocean. Few realize that Point Loma is not only one of the most established, historic communities in San Diego, its residents are also the wealthiest per capita and the real estate is some of the most expensive in the County.

The video showcases a few longtime establishments for dining and entertainment that are just now beginning to offer more and more as the COVID-19 restrictions begin to loosen up.

Scripps Ranch Theatre (SRT), located on the campus of Alliant International University and Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC) the resident professional theater company at The Historic Brooks Theatre, present “The Longer You Wait,” by Paul Coates. The live online Zoom event will take place on Saturday, June 6, at 7 p.m.