How to celebrate Christmas and Christmas Eve safely in the era of COVID

This Christmas, you better create "bubble groups". Avoid being with different people, whether they are family, friends, or coworkers. This way you will make your celebrations safer. You already know that the number of people in public spaces or private meetings depends on each territory's situation. Always follow the health authorities' recommendations and do not exceed the number of people authorized in family gatherings.

It is also important that, whenever possible, safe distances are maintained. For this, we suggest that instead of occupying all the spaces of the table, you leave a gap between diners. You can put some decorations of plants or natural flowers between them to avoid that they end up occupying the free space.
To avoid risks, it is also recommended that guests remain seated. That is why we suggest that you act as the perfect host and serve the food from the trays, thereby reducing the chances of them getting up.

This year it is better that you do not put a catering table from which your guests can serve themselves. It is better that you leave the food already prepared in front of the plate of each diner. So they will not touch anything other than what each one is going to eat. Avoid single-use plastic containers. Always use materials that can be washed or recycled.

Whenever you can, do the celebrations and meetings with family and friends outdoors. Keeping Christmas gatherings outdoors lowers the risk of contagion compared to indoor celebrations, especially if they are not ventilated.
Prepare the patio or garden of your house and install the main table there. Outdoor lighting has a special role. Hang some LED string lights and place candles on the Christmas table. You can also put some candles or indirect lights on the window posts or in the flower pots or planters.
To counteract the low temperatures, place outdoor heaters near the table and some blankets on the chairs. Choose fur clothes or plaid blankets. It will give it a warm and Christmas touch. Combine the outerwear patterns with the table linen and add some fluffy Christmas cushions for the chairs.

That it is a different Christmas does not mean that they are holidays without gifts. Having family and friends away is no excuse for them to know that you remember them on these dates.
Prepare purchases in advance through local stores or online sales platforms and send them by courier to their destination. Count on the collaboration of some "Christmas elves" to hide the gifts until the appointed date, and you will be able to be present on Christmas Eve of the COVID of the people you have further away.

Not enjoying the plans away from home for regulatory reasons or as a precaution does not mean that we do not have fun parties. Prepare an Advent calendar with small actions that you can safely do as a family.

Here are several ideas:
⦁ Christmas cinema. Let the kids choose the Christmas movies they like the most and host a home theater afternoon with homemade popcorn.
⦁ Marathon of stories. Prepare your favorite Christmas stories' narration and accompany it with a good hot chocolate with some melted clouds.
⦁ Pastries. Kids will love to partake in a good batch of Christmas cookies. Here you have many recipes to choose from, but what you cannot miss is a shower of flour and many photos with smiles full of chocolate.

This year, it is very important to create a conscience of solidarity in our families more than ever. Come up with an idea to improve someone's Christmas and get it going. You can join the support networks that exist in many cities or do a small action with close people.

For example, if there is a nursing home close to home, you can talk to those responsible for giving them some homemade COVID Christmas Eve cards that you have personalized for each older adult.