It is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but the pandemic is still taking its toll on an already difficult 2020 and effectively lifting Christmas as we know it. Now many of us are struggling to figure out a safe and festive way to spend our holidays. But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued just one more warning to Americans on Dec. 23 the day before Christmas Eve, urging everyone to avoid the temptation to travel or host large personal gatherings. Read on to see what this could mean for your Christmas plans, and for more on how you can be sure, check out This is the one that is most likely giving you COVID right now.
In a tweet published on December 23, announced The CDC issued a final plea for citizens to be safe by not going on road or sky this year and limiting exposure by only celebrating with people from their own household. “Stay home to best protect yourself and others from # COVID19 this holiday season“stressed the CDC.
The social media post is the agency’s latest effort to promote the updated advice they sent out earlier this month, urging Americans to cancel their travel plans to avoid creating a wave of new cases at a time when hospitals in many areas of the country is already overwhelmed and has maximum capacity. “The best thing for Americans to do in the upcoming holiday season is to stay home and not travel,” Henry Walke, COVID-19 incident manager for the CDC, told reporters in early December. “Cases are rising. Admissions are rising, deaths are rising. We have to try to bend the curve, stop this exponential rise.”
Unfortunately, the advisory also comes just days after the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported that the weekend before Christmas saw its highest recorded number of travelers since the pandemic began, surpassing one million people each day for a 3-day total of 3.2 million passengers, Washington Post reports.
Still, the CDC recommends a few activities that can help keep the festivities festive and probably this year. Read on to see what they suggest and for more on how to reduce your risk of infection, check If you do not do this, your mask will not protect you, the study says.
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1
Have a virtual holiday meal with friends and family.
In their tweet, the CDC points out that planning to enjoy your holiday meal with loved ones over Zoom or FaceTime can help make the day feel more special. “Celebrating virtually or with members of your own household (who consistently take steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19) poses the lowest risk of spreading,” reads the CDC’s holiday party advice.
Still, the agency is careful to point out that a household is “anyone who currently lives and shares common areas in your dwelling unit (such as your house or apartment)”, including roommates and non-relatives. If family members who do not normally live at home will be present, such as college students visiting the home from living in a dorm room, appropriate security measures will still need to be taken. And for more on how the pandemic is evolving, check out Dr. Fauci just issued a warning about the new COVID strain in the United States
2
Gather for a virtual gift exchange.
Being able to see the look of surprise on the face of others when they open the perfect gift does not have to disappear just because of the pandemic. The agency suggests that you turn on your webcam while opening presents and organizing an exchange so that things feel more like a traditional party. And for more on sites battling the pandemic, check out This Condition Now Has the Worst COVID Outbreak in the United States
3
Decorate your home.
So far, 2020 has been the year to work from home, cook at home and make your home perfect. Why not take the holiday as the perfect excuse to make things brighter? Get in the spirit by literally covering the halls, putting on decorations, hanging candles, decorating a tree or putting together an outdoor screen. And for more COVID updates, sign up for our daily newsletter.
4
Make festive crafts.
Finding constructive ways to spend time at home has become a pastime in itself this year. The CDC recommends capturing the holiday spirit by making some festive crafts that can be made even more fun by almost joining friends and family via video chat. This can include everything from tightening popcorn and wreath to baking a new batch of delicious cakes that you can all show off on Instagram. And for more on how coronavirus has suddenly changed, check out a White House official who just gave this warning about the new COVID mutation.