Whether it’s a quick dinner or a long weekend stay, visiting with friends and relatives is at the center of many families’ holiday traditions. This year, during a pandemic, that part of the holidays presents a challenge and has left many people wondering: Is it safe to travel? How can I lower my family’s risk of exposure while traveling? Are virtual get-togethers a good alternative? What new traditions can be made?
There are many factors to take into consideration when deciding whether or not you can safely get together with others this season. The CDC recommends looking at these specifics before traveling for the holidays:
- What are the community levels of COVID in your area and the area of travel?
- Where is the gathering happening? Inside or outside? Big space or small space?
- How long will the gathering be?
- How many people will be there?
- Where are all the attendees coming from?
- Have other attendees been practicing social distancing? Is it possible for everyone to maintain social distancing at the gathering?
Playing it safe doesn’t mean having no fun.
Thinking of switching up traditions this year to stay safe at home? There are many ways to celebrate at a distance from loved ones who might be at risk.
- Instead of an ugly sweater competition, have an ugly face mask competition with friends and family virtually!
- Step up your holiday card sending. You can reconnect with loved ones while also supporting the Post Office!
- Instead of having a large Thanksgiving dinner, do a recipe swap where you trade treasured Thanksgiving recipes with family members to try out.
- Put together care packages for those isolated family members that might be feeling extra blue this time of the year.
- Celebrate by helping others—look for ways to volunteer from home, or if you are able, donate to local non-profit organizations.
- Don’t want to cook? Support local businesses by ordering your Thanksgiving or holiday meal from a local restaurant that offers family style meals.
- Does decking the halls bring you joy? Go ahead and decorate early! It never hurts to be reminded of holiday cheer throughout the entire season.
No matter what you and your family decide to do for the holidays, health and safety are the most important things to keep in mind. Not only the health and safety of you and your family, but the health and safety of others. To learn more on how to safely celebrate the holidays, visit the link below:
CDC: Holiday Celebrations and Small Gatherings