The holidays are here and there’s nothing we want more than to celebrate with our families and friends, but COVID-19 is NOT on anyone’s Wish-List! After nearly a year of separation from our loved ones, we long for a joyous celebration around the table, but as of this writing, COVID-19 still poses a great health risk, so we have to reconsider how we celebrate.
This holiday season won’t be what we’re used to, but there are still ways to make it special and enjoyable for your entire family. Think outside the box and you’ll find some unique ways to celebrate that will keep up the holiday spirit and your family and friends safe. Below, we included a few helpful suggestions and ideas for how to spread holiday cheer without spreading the virus.
Come Together Virtually
The safest way to spend time with your family is via Zoom or any other video call platform. A Video call allows you to continue holiday traditions or create new ones without putting any loved ones at risk. Family members can virtually show off their home-made fruit cakes, sing Christmas carols, and model their ugly holiday sweaters or festive masks. Provide a cooking or baking lesson and teach them how you make your famous Christmas ham , or enjoy a festive meal “together” in front of your screens. However you decide to spend time virtually with your family, you can rest assured they’ll be safe from any exposure to COVID-19.
Keep it Intimate
The next safest thing to do besides a virtual gathering would be to have an intimate, socially distanced celebration limited only to the people who live in your home. Keep it small. Insist that masks be worn except when eating and drinking and maintain a distance of six feet apart. It’s also important to have good air circulation, so leave a window open or have a fan running.
If you’re yearning for a particular family dish, ask your family members if they would consider making their signature dishes and sending them out to different family members. This way, even if you won’t be eating together, you can still savor the same meal you crave every year. And, who knows; maybe if you ask nicely enough, grandma will finally share with you her recipe for potato latkes or homemade stroffli.
Enjoy the Outdoors
As long as the weather outside isn’t frightful you can move your meal to a park or a large backyard with heat lamps. Being out in the open with fresh air will allow you to see more of your extended family in a safe environment.
If you decide to take your celebration outside, seat household members together and observe social distancing. Make sure to have plenty of anti-bacterial wipes and sanitizer handy and wear masks when not eating or drinking. Make it BYOU: Have each family bring their own eating utensils and designate one person to serve the food and drinks.
You can also enjoy socially distant outdoor activities like a potato sack race or a three-legged race among the different households.
Go All Out
If you can’t fathom not being with your family in person during the holidays, require them to take a COVID-19 test and isolate themselves before coming together. Taking that extra step will keep everyone safe . Anyone unwilling to take that extra step, can join the holiday celebrations via Zoom.
Take Good Care of Yourself
If you’re a senior citizen and a New Jersey resident and you think you may have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19 or start to experience symptoms, please call Clare Medical of New Jersey at (609) 474-0120. Medical providers equipped with protective gear will come to your home, test you for COVID-19, and provide the appropriate treatment.
This holiday season, we need to take extra precautions to keep ourselves and our families safe, that’s why Clare Medical strives to make it easier for you by providing house calls and multiple ways to schedule appointments.
Your festivities may look a little different this year, but they can still be just as fun. With a bit of creativity, everyone can still enjoy themselves, and more than that, it will enhance the likelihood that next year we can all be together.