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Introduction: The importance of holidays, traditions, and family celebrations to human culture and occupational engagement has been neglected. The aim of this study was to explore how older adults experienced holidays and celebrations with social and physical distancing during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: A secondary analysis was made on data from the At‐Risk Study. Seventeen community‐living adults (11 women and 6 men) aged 71–87 years, from Sweden participated. They were interviewed remotely four times during the first year of the pandemic. Data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. No consumer/community involvement occurred. Findings: Three categories on how the participants hoped for, planned, decided, adapted, avoided, and experienced holidays and celebrations with social and physical distancing included expectations and preparations in unpredictable times; the constant need for re‐evaluation; and almost everything turned out differently. Conclusions: The desire to celebrate despite pandemic restrictions shows the importance and meaning holidays hold for older adults. Celebrations can be disrupted for many reasons, not only as extreme as the ongoing pandemic. For wellbeing in later life health care, social care, and society need to understand the inherent components and acknowledge ways of supporting participation in occasional events such as holidays, traditions, and family celebrations. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Research on the importance of engaging in holidays, traditions, and family celebrations has been limited. Clinical occupational therapists and occupational science researchers tend to focus more on activities of daily living than on activities of life. This study investigated how older adults experienced holidays and celebrations with social and physical distancing during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We revisited data from a previous study called the At‐Risk Study. Seventeen community‐living older adults living in Sweden, ranging from 71 to 87 years old, took part. They were interviewed remotely four times during the first year of the pandemic. Data were analysed with qualitative content analysis. We identified three main themes on how the participants hoped for, planned, decided, adapted, avoided, and experienced holidays and celebrations with social and physical distancing. They were expectations and preparations in unpredictable times; the constant need for re‐evaluation; and almost everything turned out differently. This study shows the broad variety in reasoning and acting in relation to holidays, traditions, and family celebrations under social and physical distancing. However, the desire to celebrate despite pandemic restrictions shows the importance and meaning holidays hold for older adults. Celebrations can be disrupted for many reasons (including health issues) and not all barriers will be as extreme as an ongoing pandemic. To promote wellbeing in later life society, health care, and occupational therapists need to recognise the inherent components and acknowledge ways of supporting participation also in occasional events such as holidays, traditions, and family celebrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]