As the fall of 2020 continues to roll by, the country is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases. Many experts have warned that it will only worsen after the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
While we all want to gather with family and friends this holiday season, it may be best to opt-out and find alternative means of celebrating this year. This is especially true if you or your loved ones are at a higher risk for contracting the coronavirus or are over the age of sixty-five. While you may feel disappointed by the idea of a low-key celebration, there are still plenty of ways that you can share the holiday with loved ones:
Host a Virtual Feast
Invite your guests, via Zoom, Google Hangouts, or your choice of virtual chat services, to join in on a virtual feast. Encourage attendees to lay out their holiday meal and grab a drink of choice before hopping on at your specified time. Before the big day, share favored family recipes, like grandma’s stuffing, with everyone on your invite list so that you can all dig into the same traditional menu items. Hopefully, it will feel like you’re sitting around the table and enjoying your holiday dinner together.
Play Games
Playing games is a great way to spend quality time with your loved ones during the holiday season. If multiple people live in your home, gather some family favorites, like Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit, to play together. If you’re hoping to get others involved in your game playing, choose a game that can be played virtually and invite your loved ones to join in on the fun.
Make a Delivery
Show your loved ones that you’re thinking of them by making a special delivery to them at home. If you’re known for your apple pie, bake one and bring it by to leave on the porch for them. Maybe a simple delivery of a fall flower bouquet or decorative wreath would make their day a little extra special. Whatever you choose to deliver, your loved one will appreciate that you were thinking of them and put in some effort to make them feel special.
Send Mail
Ahead of the holiday, collect handwritten notes, cards, drawings, family photos, or small care packages to send to your loved ones in the mail. To make it more exciting, you may want to instruct them not to open their mail until a specific day or time. Many people are not comfortable sending or receiving physical mail, flowers, or packages right now. If this is the case for your family or loved ones, scan your items and email them to your loved ones to be printed. Many scanning apps are easy and free to use.
If you do plan to celebrate in-person with people other than those that live in your household, be sure to follow these CDC precautions:
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth
- Maintain your physical distance from those who don’t live with you
- Wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer
- Limit your number of guests
- Choose one person to serve food, have them wear gloves, and use single-use utensils
However you plan to celebrate, we hope your holiday season is safe, happy, and healthy!