The holidays are coming, and there’s still a pandemic, so that means it’s time to get creative about finding ways to celebrate with family and friends. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is cautioning against most in-person gatherings in areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, but that doesn’t mean Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations are off the table entirely.
We asked parents from all over the country to share the unique and safe ways they’re planning to spend time with grandparents, friends and other loved ones during the holidays.
1. Have a holiday recipe party via Zoom
For a lot of families, cooking together is a cherished holiday tradition. Thanks to video communication apps, that can still happen this year. “I am currently living across the country from my family,” says Ingrid Read, a mom of two from New Jersey. “For Thanksgiving my mom, sister and I are getting together to create a dish from scratch at the same time, following the same recipe. We usually do it together the morning of Thanksgiving, but this time, we’ll each do it from our own homes via Zoom.”
2. Host a holiday picnic
Outdoor gatherings are considered to be lower risk than indoor gatherings, especially if social distancing is observed and masks are worn. For this reason, many families are considering moving their holiday meals outside. “We’re planning to meet up with my sister and have a Thanksgiving picnic,” says Brittney West, a mom of three from Phoenix. “We’ll each bring our own blanket and food, so we can stay apart but still be together.”
Outdoor gatherings could also be set up with different tables for each family on a driveway or deck space. Of course, the viability of this option will also depend on the climate where you live. Outdoor heaters and small fire pits could be a good option in cooler weather, or you could even plan to meet at a campsite and socially distance around the fire.
3. Set up a virtual holiday happy hour
You may not be sharing a meal together, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on socializing and relaxing with one another. Claudia Laroye, a mom of two from Vancouver, Canada, decided to host an aperitif hour remotely via Google Meet for Canadian Thanksgiving in October.
“We invited family members, grandparents, siblings and girlfriends to join us from across the country and even from the United States,” she says. “At the appointed hour, our 80+ year old parents and family members were right on time, drinks in hand and ready to celebrate our virtual togetherness with gratitude and good health. It was a memorable family gathering, making the best of keeping our celebration large in thanks and small in size.”
4. Visit with Santa Claus on the computer
This may not be an ideal year for Santa visits, but what if he only drops in via Zoom or FaceTime? “My dad is going to dress up as Santa and video call my kids on Christmas Eve,” says Amy Platt, a mom of three from Omaha, Nebraska. “We won’t be doing our usual holiday photos, so this is a good chance for them to still get to see Santa and for my dad to get to do something special for the grandkids.”
If you don’t have a relative with a Santa suit handy, you can also search online and book virtual visits with professional Santas.
5. Form a holiday pod
If you have access to COVID-19 testing and the ability to quarantine, it may be possible to safely form a holiday pod with a select few loved ones who’ve been closely following safety guidelines. Caolan Madden, a mom of two from Brooklyn, New York, says her family intends to get tested for the virus and self-quarantine before going to stay with her mother for an extended period of time. “We’ll spend at least a week together or we might ‘pod’ together for a month or so,” she says.
Remote work and school options could make it possible for families to pod together through Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and even through New Year’s Day if time and space allow. Be sure to consult your doctor with any health and safety questions prior to executing this plan.
6. Deliver meals to family and friends
While many families are staying home this year, not everyone has the time or ability to cook themselves a solo holiday meal. Sally Henderson, a mom of one from Dallas, says that’s why she’s planning to drop off Thanksgiving meals for some of her family and friends.“I love hosting holiday dinners,” she explains, ”and I’ve been particularly worried about my older relatives who won’t really have a Thanksgiving without the big family thing. So I’m planning on making a few favorite dishes, portioning them out and dropping dinner baskets off on porches.”
If loved ones don’t need a full meal, dropping off a dessert and a bottle of wine or some
hot cocoa could also be a good option to share some love over the holidays. And if you’re far away, you can always have a meal or dessert delivered.
7. Make a holiday bingo card
Every family has their own special holiday traditions, and being apart doesn’t have to keep you from participating. Emily Loewen, a mom of one from Winnipeg, Canada, says her family is turning their usual traditions into a fun game they can play from a distance. “We’re doing Holiday Bingo,” she explains. “We’re making a personalized Bingo card with lots of our family traditions and favorite holiday stuff. We’ll all fill out the cards, and then share photos of the things we do in our group chat.” The best part? This can be replicated with any celebration, whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or even New Year’s Eve.
8. Attend a virtual storytelling, mass or concert
It may not be possible to attend some of your favorite holiday concerts or other events. Luckily, many of those events will still take place online. The Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles is hosting a virtual Hanukkah celebration that will include candle lighting, sing-a-longs and a puppet performance of the story of Hanukkah. The Washington National Cathedral is holding virtual Christmas celebrations and a virtual Christmas Eve Eucharist. The New Jersey Performing Arts Center is hosting a virtual Kwanzaa festival with workshops, crafts, music and dancing. Even the “The Nutcracker” is streaming from various venues this year. Virtual events make it possible to “visit” different celebrations all over the country. You can also check with your favorite local organizations to see what they have planned.
9. Schedule a holiday movie watch party
“We love watching movies together, so we’re going to keep that tradition alive with a Christmas movie watch party on Netflix,” says Sarah Hanson, a mom of two from Kansas City, Missouri.
You can use a watch party app to stream movies and shows on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and HBO. A watch party allows you to begin a movie at the same time as your group, chat throughout the film and even take coordinated pauses for bathroom breaks and snack refills.
10. Have an outdoor gift swap
If your family lives nearby, take Christmas gift exchanges out to the front yard. Meghan Harper, a mom of two from Dallas, plans on exchanging gifts with her family outside on Christmas Day. “We will mask up and stay at least six feet apart while we open gifts,” she explains. “My husband even got an outdoor light-up tree at Costco for the occasion. I’m not comfortable with us being together unmasked, so no shared meals, but at least this is something we can do together.”
An outdoor gift exchange could work well as a Secret Santa event, where each member of the family exchanges gifts with one other person, rather than buying for everyone. For young kids, you might even consider a scavenger hunt to go find gifts hidden outside.
