The holidays are often filled with sharing, laughter and memories. But they can also bring stress, disappointment, sadness – and due to the COVID-19 pandemic – heightened risk for spreading the virus, especially for older adults who tend to have underlying health conditions.
The safest option is to avoid in-person holiday gatherings with people outside of your household, as there are other ways to stay socially connected. A holiday is still a holiday no matter where it is celebrated. Here are some tips and ideas for safely engaging with family and friends during the holidays this year.
Adjust Expectations
- It’s more important than ever to take care of your physical, mental and emotional well-being.
- Arrange for a group discussion via telephone, video call or email for family and friends to discuss holiday celebration in advance. Make sure that everyone understand the safety precautions you are taking and have realistic expectations about what you can and cannot do.
- Give yourself permission to do only what you can reasonably and safely manage – this likely means much smaller and more casual gatherings, if at all. No one should expect you to maintain every holiday tradition or event, especially during a pandemic.
Celebrate while physical distancing
- Continue holiday traditions by dropping of favorite baked goods or a gift in a way that avoids close contact, such as leaving the delivery at the person’s front door.
- Schedule your own “holiday parade” and ask family members and friends to drive by the older adult’s home with homemade signs or other festive decorations.
- Plan an outdoor visit with hot chocolate and blankets.
- Go outside for a walk in the neighborhood to enjoy holiday lights and decorations.
- Create and send holiday cards.
- Remember to maintain at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and any person who is not a member of your household.
Connect through technology
- Use video call software like Zoom or Skype to gather virtually. Since it can be difficult to have conversation with larger groups over video, adding some structure to the call can help. Play a trivia game, sing carols or share pictures from past gatherings.
- Plan a video call to cook or bake a special recipe together.
- Use video to capture and digitally send special moments, such as children opening gifts.
- Schedule a time to watch a favorite holiday movie together from separate homes. Text or video chat while you watch.
All of these tips and ideas can still make for a holiday that is filled with sharing and laughter and memories that will be talked about (probably a lot) at future holiday gatherings that are not surrounded by a pandemic.
Love each other, be kind, and stay safe.
by Tammy C. Vaughn
