This year we’ve put a lot of time, effort and investment into our homes and outdoor spaces. With the COVID-19 pandemic we’ve spent more time than ever before in our personal spaces, and this has led to an uptick in home renovations and design facelifts.
Recently, we discussed how to create an outdoor living area, and now is the ideal time to take advantage of those outdoor spaces for your holiday gatherings. While holidays may not look like they have traditionally there are safe ways to host a small gathering, or even just small family events.
The CDC has recommended with current spikes in cases, that we take precautions to protect our loved ones. One of the safest ways to celebrate the holidays this year is at home with the people you already live with, and incorporating outside family using video conferencing and other online services to tie them in.
The pandemic has often felt stressful and isolating for many people, so you may have considered modifying your plans to include a few close friends. With the increased encouragement to avoid indoor gatherings and utilize outdoor spaces, your backyard may be the ideal location to host your gathering. The milder San Joaquin and Central Valley winters can make this a viable option with some careful considerations and modifications.
If this is your choice, the CDC has given a few guidelines to help you to keep everyone safe.
Choose your list wisely:
Of course, we want to invite everyone and do things as we always have done, but that just isn’t feasible this year. You can, however, make some accommodations to protect your family and your guests. One thing to take into consideration is how the guests will arrive, which means of travel they will be taking, the rates of cases in their hometowns, and their behaviors prior to attending. All of these factors should be considered when deciding whom to include. You should be sure to tell your guests not to attend if they are exposed or infected within 14 days of arrival.
Follow general COVID-19 guidelines:
We all know the usual protocol that is posted on signs and buildings all over the world. We have hand sanitizer in every pocket and car cupholder. We know to wash our hands, stay six feet apart, wear masks, and avoid direct contact via handshakes or hugs, so hard I know! It’s amazing how much we miss something as simple as a hug!
Set up your outdoor spaces efficiently:
Modify your seating to work with the six feet rule. Physical distancing and masks are simple ways to protect your guests. If you decide to use a tent that has sidewalls to help protect guests from the outdoor elements, try and leave at least 12 inches of the bottom rolled for extra ventilation. Disinfect surfaces regularly and use touchless trash cans to prevent creating more commonly touched spaces.
Decide how to handle food:
Holiday food traditions are hard to break. The thought of Aunt Sylvia’s famous pecan pie, and Cousin Beth’s killer mashed potatoes may be making your mouth water, but this may be the year to get more creative with your recipes and learn to make things yourself. One way to increase safety is to encourage guests to bring their own food and drinks for their own household only. This will prevent sharing more than you’d like with your guests. If you’d like to still serve a meal, limit the exposure to the meal prep area and utilize single-use options or assign out a masked server to distribute the sharable items.
A few simple adjustments to your typical celebrations can help you to have the much-needed family time and continue to relive and create family traditions while keeping everyone safe. Your hard work landscaping and creating your beautiful outdoor space will come in handy this holiday season as it provides a safe haven for you and your guests.