This holiday season is going to be a first for many of us. Traditions that we normally keep will have to be altered and we all will be feeling a little less together than we’d like. We are here to offer you some tips on how to celebrate the holidays in a new, safe, and fun way.
Cooking and Meals
A lot of us will have to be separate from those we usually celebrate with. That doesn’t mean you can’t still whip up a feast for your household. A great way to share a meal with those you can’t physically be with would be to prepare individual meals and drop them off on people’s door steps. Just make sure when you prepare food that is going to another household that you wash your hands before touching anything, wear gloves, and wear a mask. My household cooked a birthday dinner for my roommate’s mother, dropped it off at their house, and then we ate it “together” over Zoom. We even got to watch her mom open presents over Zoom and played a few games before saying bye for the night. This is something that would be easy to recreate for Christmas.
Another wonderful option is to take a Zoom cooking class together. Many websites, like this one, offer free virtual cooking classes. You can also assign the best cook in your family to run the show and have even more fun with it.
Shopping
This may be the year to think about homemade gifts, but for some, shopping is as integral a part of the holidays as lit candles, trees, and food. If you do choose to hit the stores, always carry hand sanitizer and use it before entering and after leaving the store. When you get home, thoroughly wash your hands to really remove those germs.
There are various ways to shop that will impact how at-risk you are of contracting COVID-19. The safest way to shop will be online shopping or curbside pick up (with masks on). More risky is in person shopping. Wearing a mask, maintaining 6 foot distance, and going at off-peak times will all make this safer. In addition, preparing a shopping list so you know what you need ahead of time will reduce how long you need to spend in the store, therefore decrease exposure. The highest risk you can put yourself in while shopping is to go to sales events and at any time that it will be more crowded. These times should be avoided if at all possible.
If possible, supporting local businesses this season will make a huge difference in helping them out. We are all struggling right now, and your local shops are probably experiencing some financial difficulty. Try buying your presents from them, instead of one of the bigger chain stores. And if you can’t afford to shop local, support them in other ways! You can write a good review for them, like their posts on social media, or spread the word about them. All of these actions act to support your small local businesses.
Taking Care of Yourself and Others
This is a good time of year to be in tune with your emotions. A lot of us experience anxiety and depression around the holidays and this one may be a little bit harder than usual. Make sure you surround yourself with caring people that can help you through those feelings. Take time for yourself, away from the holiday to-do lists, and seek help if you need it! There is no shame in doing so, and there are quite a few virtual options and apps available for this purpose.
Reaching out to others and checking in will also be especially important this year. A good way to do this is by volunteering, which will provide much needed help to the community while also allowing you to be around people. Make sure you also reach out to friends and family to see how they are doing, and comfort anyone that may need it.
Talking to Your Kids About It
By now, your children probably understand that this year has not been normal. The holidays will be no exception, but this may be a little harder for them to accept. First, talk about how different this holiday season is going to be when they are ready for it. They’ll probably ask you some questions and that’s your cue to start discussing it. Make sure when you do talk to them, you tell the truth: no sugar coating. You don’t want to give false expectations that will lead to disappointment later on. It’s also okay to tell them when you don’t know something. Again, honesty is key here.
It’s also perfectly fine for this conversation to get emotional. Don’t try and stop your child from feeling frustration or disappointment; It’s what all of us are feeling right now. Instead, help them figure out how to process those emotions in a healthy way. Of course, keep it positive if you can! Help your kids come up with fun, new traditions for this socially distanced holiday.
Out-of-State Travel and Guests
The holidays typically mean that A LOT of people are going to be travelling. Many people travelling means there is a higher risk of spreading or getting COVID-19. Per the latest gathering restrictions, not only are we being asked not to travel out of state, we are being asked not to gather with anyone that we do not live with. These guidelines should be strictly followed, since they are here to keep us all safe and healthy.
It’s important to plan for a quarantine if you do choose to travel. Make sure you prepare well in advance for how you will get food, time off work or school, and any other necessities. You now have the option to quarantine for 7 days, and then receive a PCR test on the 7th day. You may end quarantine before 14 days if the test you received on the 7th day is negative. If you choose to do this, make an appointment for a test well in advance if possible. This can be something you do through your doctor or one of the many pop-up testing sites that the state is offering.
Ask yourself about who you are visiting. For example, is anyone you will be seeing in a higher risk group? If so, you could put them in serious danger of contracting Covid-19. It is essential to consider whether the trip is worth the risk. This is a question you should be asking yourself for each of your actions this season.
Your family should establish a plan for staying safe. How you will be maintaining a 6 foot distance, when and where masks will be worn, and whether you will be celebrating outside are all things that should be discussed before anyone arrives. Set a room aside for anyone that may need to isolate should they start to feel sick. Create schedules for shared spaces, like the bathroom, so you don’t end up with a lot of people in a small room. Keep a supply of masks, sanitizer, cleaning supplies, paper towels, and single use items (like toiletries), and assign each person their own towel to prevent further spread of germs.
Again, out of state travel and gatherings outside of your household are currently prohibited. However, if you are not going to follow the guidelines, following these safety tips may be what keeps you and your family members from getting sick or spreading the virus.
Make it Fun and Get Creative
Here are just a few ideas for what you can do to have more fun this season:
- Have a socially distanced cookie swap
- Send out holiday cards
- Take a drive to see some holiday lights
- LOTS of baking
- Throw a family slumber party under the tree
- Put on a family talent show and livestream it
- Write a book together
- Do a socially distanced book chain swap
- Make a gratitude list from the year
