Safely celebrate the holidays this year! It’s officially holiday season, and we are super close to Thanksgiving. Even though it’s in two days, some people still don’t have their Thanksgiving plans together or are still on the fence about what they are going to do. Let me be the one to tell you, with us being in the middle of a pandemic, it’s never too late to say no or change your mind. With COVID cases back on the rise, right now, the most important thing is your health… I mean your health always should come first, but it’s even more critical now. From what we do know about the transmission of the virus, family gatherings have a responsibility in spreading it. Don’t feel bad for deciding not to attend holiday events, and don’t get shamed or pressured into attending them. We’ll just have to get a little creative to make this one work.
I had already decided I was not gathering for Thanksgiving. I have been playfully shamed by my mother for not making certain family meetups during the warmer months that were outside, and that didn’t faze me. I pulled up to one event that ended up being inside and called to let them know I was not aware, was not participating, and left.
For those of you that hate attending your job holiday parties that are a bore or dealing with your significant others’ family, the current climate has presented the perfect excuse for you. For the others, in my opinion it is safest to stay home and spend the holidays with those in your immediate household, and I have put together a few ideas to stay connected even though you may be far apart and safely celebrate the holidays this year. And for those that just have to (because YOU want) get together with family for the holidays, I have put together a few suggestions for you as well.
A Few Ways to Continue Interacting with Family:
Zoom
Give Zoom a try. Most of us all know and love (sarcasm) Zoom. From going to school or work virtually, many of us have experienced Zoom. I’ve actually attended a Zoom baby shower. Zoom can be used to keep some of the family traditions alive during the holiday season and even create new ones. Use it to pray over the meal together, go around the many tables and say what you are thankful for during Thanksgiving, and even sing some Christmas favorites together.
Have “Dessert Hour” with some traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas favorites; sweet potato pie, cookies, fruit cake. Decorate Christmas cookies together. Have a tree lighting ceremony. Get competitive and have gingerbread house, tree decorating, and Christmas lights competitions.
Meal Pickups/Drop offs
You may not feel comfortable hosting or attending holiday events this year, but that doesn’t have to stop the food. You can still do potluck style meals. Those that normally cook dishes can have an arranged time to drop off their dish, and scheduled time slots can be arranged for minimal to no contact pickups. The safest setups would be those outside, on the lawn, porch or in an open and spacious garage. Another option is to do a minimal or no contact drop off of a meal to those who may not be cooking. Drop the meal off on the porch or pass it off to those who may live in apartments.
If you must meet up, outside gatherings are safest. Of course, this is easier in warmer states. For colder areas, bonfire type set ups outside are not only a safe option but also a fun one. Whether you’re actually making a bonfire or using fire pits, be sure to have multiple so that social distancing measures can be kept up. Keep in mind these ideas still do not keep you 100% safe from getting or transmitting COVID.
Things to Keep in Mind If Planning to Gather:
Traveling increases the risk of transmission for those traveling as well as those that will be in contact with the individual that has traveled. Those planning to travel should quarantine for 14 days prior to meeting up with others. This means no traveling outside of the home unless for medical reasons. Getting tested for COVID prior to meeting up with others is not a sure way to know that you will not transmit it, as COVID tests show positive results depending on when you may have been exposed. You can test negative one day and positive the next depending on when you were exposed. It is safest to practice precautions whether or not self-quarantine processes were implemented beforehand or not. This will help you safely celebrate the holidays.
Gift Giving
Don’t let the pandemic stop the tradition of gift giving. Use apps like Elfster to organize your Secret Santa and send gifts by mail or arrange gift drop offs for those that may live close. If you plan to do a drop off, be sure to wait until the recipient has the gift in hand before pulling off so that it doesn’t get snatched up before they get to it. I’m still a fan of the traditional, old school grabbing the name out of the hat method, but this way is more convenient and calls for less interaction.
Family Portraits
Whether professional or not, the holidays are when many family portraits are done as it is a time where the majority of the family can be together. Don’t end the tradition of family portraits. All that’s needed is a little creativity and photoshop. And if no one in the family has photoshop down, no problem. Use some of the many picture apps that allow you to put multiple pictures together. It won’t be as seamless as photoshop and appear like everyone was there at once, but who cares. Take pictures with the ones you can and put them together on a grid. My sister had a great idea for the family portrait that we’re still going to try to achieve this year. I’m super excited and look forward to sharing the end result with you, so be on the lookout.
The holidays may look different this year, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be full of fun and love. The difference in the holidays this year will more likely negatively affect the elders in the family as togetherness and certain holiday traditions have been apart of their lives longer than you can remember. After all, being with family is a major part of the holidays. Some family you only get to see during the holidays. I was apart of the family that came in from out of town every year when I was a little girl. However, COVID also affects them differently with them being at a higher risk. Family is important, and it’s important to spend time with the ones you love, but we have to do our part in keeping each other safe.
Celebrate the holidays the safest way you can and continue precautions to decrease the spread of the virus. Your health is important. Wear your mask, wash your hands frequently, and practice social distancing measures.
For more information on COVID-19 and safe ways to celebrate the holidays visit the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Let’s all try our best to celebrate the holidays safely.
And remember…
Be sure to check out these power blogs to help you finish off or prepare to start the new year strong:
5 Must-Haves for Every Successful Woman
5 Easy Ways to Manage Adulting as a Millennial
Love & Money: How to Purchase Large Assets and liabilities with Your Partner
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