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If you’re feeling uncertain about planning your traditional winter and year-end holidays for 2021, you’re in good company, my friend. What a year this has been, full of curveballs from so many directions we all feel rather battle-weary, right? And maybe a little stir-crazy at that from staying indoors for months on end.

We all deserve a happy ending to this year, and there’s no better way to do so than to spend time with family and friends or to travel to relaxing destinations. But how can we go about celebrating the holidays safely when a global pandemic is still raging across the globe?

Should we all write off the whole year and stay home until the clock strikes 2022? I want to think such severe action is unnecessary. As long as we all remember to approach this festive season with more caution and consideration than ever before, we can bring at least some measure of joy to ourselves and those around us.

As explained by Jeremy Diamond, senior partner of Diamond & Diamond Law, a full-service law firm with plenty of experience in personal injury cases:

“Accidents and unpleasant things are sometimes unavoidable, but we can reduce the risk of getting sick. We can also prevent others from getting infected by adhering to certain guidelines and following safety protocols. By being wise about how we spend the holidays with our loved ones, we can still celebrate special occasions without endangering ourselves or anybody else.”

Jeremy Diamond on the Importance of Safety in Celebrating Halloween

We don’t have to forsake all of our beloved traditions due to Covid-19, but we have to adapt our behavior during celebrations. A few small changes can save a life.

When you step out to do your regular rounds on Halloween, be aware of high-risk Halloween activities such as door-to-door trick-or-treating, indoor parties with poor ventilation, and open-air festivals without social distancing measures in place. When you do attend parties, stay clear of taking drugs or consuming high amounts of alcohol. It’ll cause you to lose focus on staying safe during this uncertain time.

Times like this can be an excellent opportunity to create new traditions at home with your family. You can pursue new holiday traditions like decorating your house’s interior or watching classic Halloween movies with the kids. At present, the golden rule is to limit close interaction with others outside of your usual circle of family or friends. So instead of the typical trick-or-treating in the neighborhood, why not leave treats on all the neighbor’s patios or doorsteps this year?

If you’re in dire need of social interaction after months of isolation, please be alert while attending parties. Keep your mask on at all times, maintain social distancing, and remember to keep your hand sanitizer close by. And remember, the most socially distanced you can get is over a video call. Virtual parties are more popular than ever, so consider hosting your own.

What About Thanksgiving or Black Friday?

The same rules that you should follow for Halloween activities apply to any festive parties over the coming months.

When you’re heading out for a day of fun with the family, please try to avoid high-risk activities such as shopping at crowded stores or malls or street parades. Again, try to avoid an excess of alcohol or drugs during this time as it causes a lack of concentration and the ability to follow safety protocols.

It could be a good idea to limit the guest list at your Thanksgiving dinner. Keep your circle small this year. You may consider hosting more than one event if you don’t want to leave anybody uninvited. Smaller dinner parties are more fun and are the perfect opportunity to rehash the year with loved ones in a more intimate setting.

With all the unique technology available today, why not try something completely new and host a virtual dinner party? It could be tremendous fun, and everybody you care about will be safe at home.

Black Friday is a massive drawing card to retail outlets and busy shopping malls, but it’s also a craze of frenzied shoppers all lusting after the same sales items. This year, it’s time to make use of all the excellent online marketplaces and hone in on your online shopping skills.

Jeremy Diamond: How To Celebrate Winter Holidays COVID-Free

I believe we can still celebrate the holidays safely and have a magical holiday season that remains in line with the actual values we all aim to uphold. Most importantly, let’s consider others more than we do ourselves. It’s genuinely what this pandemic has asked each of us to do in 2021. Even when we aren’t in a high-risk population, we should do everything possible to keep others safe until we finally come through the other side of this life-changing event.

The Internet makes it easy to stay connected virtually. With video calling apps such as Zoom, you can hold mega-events with up to 500 attendees on your screen. Why not consider a virtual ‘Carols by Candlelight’ or an online Christmas party with all your friends and family across the globe? It could become a new tradition that’s worth keeping. Many new friendships can be forged for the future. Next year you might have met new friends from Morocco and have a new holiday destination to add to your bucket list.

There are so many engaging activities that you can host virtually, and that’ll help you liven up a safe celebration of the holidays.

How about a Christmas costume contest with your friends or competition on TikTok for the best Christmas card video? It’s time we all dust off our creative minds and get cracking on getting inventive indoors, safely tucked away in our homes with the people we hold dear.

The holidays may feel different and even a little weird this year, but there’s still reason to celebrate, despite leaving behind a year we’d all prefer to forget.

According to the wise words of Jeremy Diamond: We Can All Celebrate Holidays Safely.

“Holiday celebrations don’t have to be boring, even when everybody is staying at home. The fact that we can still celebrate the holidays amid COVID-19 is already reason enough to celebrate it. The coming holidays should celebrate embracing life despite the bad times, and it starts with valuing the safety of our loved ones and others.”

This content is provided by an independent source for informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Consult an attorney or financial advisor when making decisions. This information is provided by legal writers and does not reflect the views or opinions of The Daily Sundial editorial staff.