Planning a Holiday Gathering – Tips for 2020

The COVID19 pandemic is creating a tough holiday season.  As cases continue to rise, families are left wondering how to proceed this holiday season.  Many of us are used to getting together with immediate and extended family for the holidays.  And how nice it has been all this time.  In our busy lives, we could always count on the holidays to bring us together!  Well, this year it looks like we may have to adjust.  Perhaps ZOOM is the answer?  Or, maybe there is a way we can safely gather together for the holidays.

Here are our tips for hosting a holiday gathering in a COVID19 world.  As always, take precaution and use your common sense when deciding how you will proceed.

First, ensure that you and everyone within your household is well and consider cancelling if need be. 

This seems like the obvious.  But often we get caught up in planning and preparations that we do not want to cancel.  However, this may just be what is best.  If you are the host, but someone begins to feel unwell, it is wise to quarantine the individual exhibiting symptoms.  If quarantining the individual is not possible, then it is wise to simply cancel the event.  Especially if you are expecting guests who are in a high-risk category.

Let guests have the option of cancelling last minute. 

This is really a time for everyone to get together and be happy.  If someone planned to attend but becomes afraid or begins to feel unwell, allow them the option to cancel.  We do not want to make anyone feel they have to attend, or we will be offended if they cancel last minute.  And we certainly do not want our guests to feel they are forced to be there, even if they are afraid.  Let them know that you are okay with last minute cancellations and would even prefer it if they begin to feel unwell.

Try to have guests attend in shifts. 

If you are expecting many guests, perhaps this is the year to try to divide up your guests throughout the day to reduce the number of people within the house at any given time.  For example, if you are expecting 20 guests, try to divide up your guests as evenly as possible and have half of the group join you for lunch, while the rest join  you at dinnertime.  In between guests, you can refresh your table and clean/sanitize common spaces.  Perhaps switch out your tablecloth, wipe down the chairs, and also quickly wipe down the powder room.

Space chairs so that there is ample room between guests to attempt some sort of social distancing during your gathering. 

No one likes sitting down for dinner and not having any elbow space.  This year is the perfect time to give a little bit of extra space between families to create some distance at the dinner table.  Seat spouses and children together, and other families several feet away to create some distance.  If you do divide your guests into shifts as mentioned previously, this will be much easier to accomplish.

Provide face masks and hand sanitizer for each guest. 

In the event that someone begins to feel uncomfortable or unwell, they will have something to help prevent the spread of germs to the rest of your guests.  When packaged well, you can include this as apart of a favor for each of your guests.

Consider having a ZOOM holiday gathering. 

If hosting a gathering makes everyone uncomfortable, then perhaps you can have everyone get together on ZOOM to celebrate the holiday together. In fact, we did this for our son’s birthday this year and he was just thrilled. I worried that he would be unhappy not having a big party with all of his friends. I was so happy when he said, “This is the best birthday ever!” So, maybe a ZOOM holiday gathering isn’t so bad after all?

We wish you a happy holiday season!