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10 Inspired Ideas for a COVID-Safe Holiday Season/New Year! by Angelica L. Roth, M.P.

by Angelica L. Roth, M.P. (edited by Tanya Terry)

This has been a challenging year for so many people in different ways. Now with the holidays here, a time when we usually enjoy gathering with loved ones it brings its own challenges as we look at how to continue enjoying the season while staying safe.

I personally know 13 people who died from COVID. I performed the funeral for one of my closest friends. Another close friend who gathered for Thanksgiving ended up coming back with COVID along with her parents, husband and sister. They had COVID tests done before gathering, but one of them must have become positive after the test before they gathered. So it spread to all of them.

The holidays are looking different this year so that we can make sure to have more holidays to share together in the future. Here are some ideas for how others have and you can enjoy a COVID-safe holiday season. I know some of these seem awkward because we’re not used to it, but it is important to stay safe, and you can make it fun!

1. I use 2 apps that offer free video services to connect with many people on video at the same time. Every month this summer I held a “Friend Zoom Call”. We had a fun theme and showed off the treats we made to each other, while staying safe at home. Get creative with holiday themes! Zoom’s free option times out after 40 minutes but allows 25+ people on video! You can log back on every 40 minutes. FreeConferenceCall.com does not have a time limit but has a max of five videos on screen. There are many ways to bring them into your holiday season celebration!
2. Consider Zoom cooking together. You can gather safely over video in your own kitchens and talk about the same things you would together. You might even tease each other about whose food is the best. We did that on our friend Zoom calls this summer.
3. I love leaving porch surprises for friends! Consider Zoom cooking and doing a porch drop off of food. Then people can be responsible for making certain portions of the meal, but you can enjoy them all by sharing without seeing each other face to face. Text them when you set the food on the porch. Make sure you wash your hands or wear disposable gloves when handling the trays.
4. On Christmas Eve, many families gathered the kids around and video called grandma to share stories.
5. One of my favorite traditions has been to go to www.NoradSanta.org to track Santa’s route! Every year on Christmas Eve this site will show you where Santa is around the world, and when the kids need to go to bed!
6. On Christmas morning when it’s time to open gifts, many families gathered together on Zoom to watch and enjoy the excitement of the kiddos.
Each of the above provide the safest options for a COVID-Safe holiday season while still feeling connected. If you are getting together with multiple households New Year’s anyway, (though I hope you don’t this year) the following are some suggestions to help try to keep it safer.
7. Consider a much shorter gathering in person, perhaps just getting together for dessert. The viral load of COVID makes a difference in how sick someone gets.
8. Consider having separate card tables for people to eat at so only those in the same household sit together to eat. Spread these out as much as possible.
9. Use gloves when touching serving spoons.
10. Wear masks when not eating. You can find fun and sparkle masks on Amazon! I LOVE the mask cover I bought full of crystals for $10!! It makes me and others smile.
I care about everyone in our community. You are all valuable and loved and we want you to be safe, so you are here to enjoy next year’s holidays!!

Seasons’ Greetings!

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