Holidays in the Hospital: Finding Joy When You’re Stuck Inside

Fall always feels like a season of cozy chaos - pumpkin spice everything, kids in costumes, and families gearing up for big holiday meals. But for many cystic fibrosis families, it’s also peak cold and flu season, which often means one thing: hospital time.

I spent a lot of holidays in hospitals with my daughter, Claire. And let me tell you, she had a gift for finding joy wherever she was. Every hospital room became her personal canvas. Watch this short video she made about decorating one of her rooms, it captures her spirit better than I ever could.

One year, with the help of our dear artist friend, Lindsay, she built an entire fireplace out of paper cutouts. I’m talking full-on paper-mâché mantle, stockings, the works. Doctors and nurses came from all over the floor just to see it. Of course, we had our tiny plastic Christmas tree with little battery-operated lights because no holiday hospital room is complete without one.

Halloween was always a highlight too. A lot of children’s hospitals allow the pediatric patients (who aren’t immunocompromised) to go “trick-or-treating” at the nurses’ stations, and Claire lived for that. She’d dress up, decorate her IV pole, and charm every nurse she saw. The Child Life Department would roll in with crafts, games, and holiday music, and soon the whole floor felt like one big party. It turned the vibe of feeling left out into feeling special.

But what I remember most about those holidays isn’t the decorations, it’s the togetherness. There was something incredibly peaceful about being in that small space with just Claire, creating joy out of whatever we had around. No big family dinners to cook, no frantic holiday errands, just the two of us, soaking in the little things. I didn’t realize it then, but those quiet holidays ended up being some of my favorite memories. It actually brings a tear to my eye now that she has passed. Enjoy every moment.

If you’re a parent spending the holidays in the hospital this year, my heart is with you. I know it’s not where you want to be. But I also know it can be a surprisingly special time - a time for connection, creativity, and being fully present. Bring in some decorations, hang up a few lights, and let yourself celebrate, even in small ways.

And don’t be afraid to make a little noise, too, you never know, your child’s room might become the talk of the floor!

Claire used to say, “If you can’t make magic where you are, you’ll never make it anywhere.” She really lived that truth.

Here are 11 fun holiday craft ideas while in the hospital from Young House Love: LINK

🎃 Watch Claire’s Halloween hospital craft video below “How to Knit a Tiny Ghost – Hospital Room Halloween Craft with Claire Wineland”

From Claire’s joy to our families today, the holiday spirit lives on in every hospital room we touch.