During COVID, this song lyric is more relevant than ever. We continue to see people in our Valley become sick, needing medical attention, including requiring hospitalization. Many people report contracting COVID from small gatherings in people’s homes, and even though no one may have symptoms, it may be those closest to you and those you trust that are unknowingly infectious.
It may seem harmless to get together, but it may not be. It can make a difference to mask up when people you do not live with come inside your home. Not only are you protecting others by wearing a mask, but you are protecting yourself, as well. If you do get the virus while wearing a mask, it may be a smaller amount of the virus and you may not become as severely ill.
Home, and gathering with those you live with, is the safest choice in celebrating the New Year. But it doesn’t have to be boring! Here are some suggestions for celebrating:
- Have a virtual get-together and tell stories of childhood holidays. Share your best, funniest or most disastrous holiday memory. Share your resolutions for 2021!
- Outdoor activities offer fun, fresh air, and exercise to burn off the calories from cookies and eggnog. Go sledding, build a snowman or a snow fort for an old-fashioned snowball fight. Happily, we have lots of options in our winter wonderland—snowshoe, cross-country, downhill or ice skating!
- Sing! Whether it’s caroling from a distance with other members of your household or singing karaoke at home or via Zoom, everybody can find a holiday song to bring good cheer (although karaoke in my household was a terrible idea years ago—the poor dog covered its ears!)
- Play conversation card games to learn about friends or family (there are family-friendly and games just for the grownups, too).
- Puzzles – break out a holiday-themed puzzle.
- Make plans for next year! Post pictures of vulnerable family members you won’t see this year—your gift to them is keeping them healthy for future celebrations. You could even make a collage or a vision board with people and places you want to visit. Imagine a happy, healthy holiday season next year!
Many of us cannot wait to see 2020 exit, but please continue to be safe in 2021!
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