Covid-19 And Its Effect On The Holidays

Since Covid-19 started, we haven’t been able to do the normal things we used to do every year without a worry. Things are much different. Every holiday we’ve had this year has had some sort of restrictions or rules, and Christmas most likely will too. To keep ourselves and others safe and healthy, we have been lowering the numbers for gatherings or stopping them completely to be extra cautious. Many people are distraught with this because the holidays, for most people, mean spending time with loved ones and enjoying themselves. And if you have a big family, there’s not much you can do. 

Two of the biggest holidays that people spend time with family and friends are Thanksgiving and Christmas, which is coming up fast. The rule that was set for Thanksgiving this year in many states was a limit on how many people were allowed in a house for dinner. This bummed out a bunch of big families because, in Oregon, the limit was 6 people to a house, and that isn’t much. Many people are worried that there will be restrictions for Christmas gatherings as well. Even if the state does enforce limits and restrictions, there will still be many people who will ignore them. If you or someone you know will not follow the restrictions or limitations, make sure to at least be safe by wearing a mask and washing your hands regularly. If you want to be the safest and most cautious, the best option is to stay home and enjoy Christmas with the people you’re currently living with. It may be a little sad to not see the rest of your family on Christmas, but don’t worry, there’s still a bunch of fun things to do in your house with the people already there. 

Some fun and entertaining things to do while being safe and at home can be things like baking, maybe even making it a bit competitive to make it more fun. Some Christmas movies can also be super entertaining, my personal favorite is How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000). Country Living gives us a big list of some games you could play, which include white elephant, jingle bell toss, guess the smell (Christmas edition), making some ornaments, and the oven mitts challenge, where you try to unwrap a very well wrapped gift with oven mitts on! There are so many fun things to do if you take the time and find ideas, and Country Living has a list of 43 ideas if you want to take a look!

If you do end up going to other people’s houses or even different states/countries, remember to wear your mask and stay healthy! And if you’re staying in this Christmas, make the most of it! Do not fret, and find some great ideas to keep you and your loved ones entertained, and most importantly, safe.