Everybody’s social activities were disrupted because of the pandemic. The government imposed health, travel, and gathering restrictions because of the risks involved. Large celebrations and many vacations were put on hold. Various events, concerts, and festivals were canceled.
It became a huge challenge for families to throw parties for the little ones. Everybody had to get creative and come up with a COVID-friendly celebration.
For those who did host parties, however, the risk of getting the disease became higher. In fact, according to the American Medical Association, there were more diagnoses of COVID-19 in families who celebrated birthdays than those who did not. There was even a 31% increase in cases from counties that had these families.
But now, birthdays and other celebrations are back. Social lives are refreshed. Calendars are filled with gatherings to look forward to. With loosened restrictions and millions getting vaccinated, everybody is eager to celebrate, though cautiously.
Fewer people are invited. Everybody is in masks. Sanitizers are always on the ready. Everybody has to stay6 feet apart. Despite these changes, you and your family can still celebrate and have fun!
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has released updated guidelines for social gatherings. Using these guidelines, you can still have small gatherings at home. Here’s how.
Prep in Advance
To have a successful party, it’s important to plan. Now that there’s a pandemic, you have to consider many things. Planning for parties has just become more challenging. Things you should consider are food prep, party games, and seating options.
Creating a buffet is not appropriate at the moment. You will not be able to prevent people from flocking to the buffet table. There’s no safe distancing in that.
Prepare food in separate containers for each guest. Typically, picnic food is the easiest one to pack in individual containers. You can change it a bit for adult guests. For children, they’ll love hamburgers and french fries. You can serve the same to your adult guests, but add a few fruits and maybe a slice of tomato or pickle.
For party games, choose ones that will prevent children from getting into contact with each other. Potato sack race, limbo rock, and guessing game are good examples. As long as a game limits physical contact, that would be fine.
For seating options, read the next guideline.
Choose a Well-Ventilated Venue
Considering the informal nature of small gatherings, you may only have a few close friends and relatives to come over. Intimate parties can be small milestone celebrations, family dinners, holiday parties, and birthdays. Often, these types of gatherings are done at someone’s home. But even if you’re in the comfort of your own home, CDC recommends hosting your party outdoors.
Outdoor space is important in today’s pandemic. COVID-19 can easily spread indoors where ventilation is poor. It is safer to have your party outdoors. You don’t need to have a large yard, though.
You can have your party on the driveway, lawn, or backyard. If your house doesn’t have outdoor structures such as a deck or patio, you can set up an open-air tent or put up a large evolution canopy.
But if you really have to stay indoors, make sure people maintain safe distancing.
Invite Fewer Guests
The key to fostering a safe distance during parties indoors is by inviting only a few people to celebrate with you. You lessen the risk of transmission this way. But if you’ll have your party outdoors, you can increase the number, but only by a bit.
Make Your Party Safe for Everyone
Make your party safe by providing everybody with enough supply of disinfectant wipes, tissues, hand sanitizers, and masks. There should also be more than one temporary hand-washing station. You should also prepare paper towels or a hand dryer. Ensure that all guests have the means to practice healthy hygiene. And if you can’t make it for safety reasons, consider getting an online group birthday card!
Add More Fun
To add more fun to your party, consider getting the help of businesses offering event rentals. They can provide your party with water toys, bounce houses, games, and activities for the kids. They can also provide concession machines with food that children will love. For your adult guests, you can rent a movie screen and sound systems.
There’ll Be Changes to How Parties Will Be Celebrated
For the following years, even if the pandemic is over, people will surely change how they celebrate. You will be more conscious of how you interact with people. You will pay more attention to everybody’s health. For now, have fun while wearing a mask, washing your hands, and keeping a safe distance from your other guests.
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