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Your Guide To Welcoming The New Year During The Pandemic
Celebrating the New Year during the pandemic is not as terrible as you think. One of the best alternatives to a New Year’s Eve party is to stay in and have a virtual party with all of your family and friends.
This is a fun and unique way to welcome the new year without having to fight traffic and be in crowds of people, given the current COVID situation.
When December 31 draws near, many of us look forward to a new beginning surrounded by our friends and family.
Need some more New Year celebration ideas? We’ve got some great ideas to help you find what you’re looking for:
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However, it can be hard for those people who have loved ones who do not live close by or would rather stay at home and avoid any gatherings because of the pandemic.
But don’t let COVID-19 put a damper on the holiday season! Instead, try to make this the best year yet by celebrating it in a fun and safe way by bringing the party to them!
If you don’t get to see your friends and family as often as you’d like, hosting a virtual party is a great and different way to celebrate the New Year.
It’s a great way for those who cannot make it to a party but also want to join in on the festivities.
Video conferences are now easier and more convenient because there are plenty of great apps that can help you organize your event.
One popular app is Google Hangouts. This is a great app for organizing and hosting virtual gatherings because it’s free and easy to use.
There is no need for a party menu because you can order food beforehand that can be delivered right to the door. In addition, you do not need to worry about cleanup as everything will be taken care of as well after the party.
On this day, it is safe to assume that all restaurants will be busy due to the high demand for food delivery services.
Get together on the Balcony
Let’s skip the traditional New Year’s Eve party this year and try to reconnect with our neighbors by inviting them to a socially distant party. Light candles and decorate your balcony, and encourage your friends to do the same.
Raise a glass of wine or champagne to each other across the balconies. Play some music, or better yet, pick up a guitar or other musical instrument and compete in a musical duel. Have an impromptu flash mob as the party gets started.
Prepare for curious passers-by who come out to see what the commotion is all about and invite them to join in the fun. Take pictures with your phone and save this one-of-a-kind celebration for later.
Self-Care Is Everything
This past year has been full of stress and worry, necessitating the importance of self-care. In a journal, write down your New Year wishes, resolutions, thoughts, and hopes. Allow yourself time and space to meditate, think deeply, listen to a podcast, read, or take a hot bath.
If you’ve had enough alone time, schedule a zoom meeting or a face-to-face call with family and friends to catch up. Verbalize what you’re grateful for to cultivate gratitude. Reconnect with what makes you happy and go out of your way to seek out those experiences.
Take a Walk Outside
Getting out of the house can be difficult with e-schooling and working from home. What better way to ring in the new year than with some fresh air and exposure to nature, accompanied by your social group or friends?
Take a walk, take your dog to the dog park, take your kids to the forest preserve, walk along the lake, and explore nearby frozen rivers and streams.
Bring a thermos of hot chocolate or mulled wine, sandwiches, and a blanket to spread out on the ground for an alfresco picnic. You may even catch some fireworks displays at the stroke of midnight.
Organize a Virtual Party
There’s no need to be disappointed because we won’t be able to meet all of our friends in person this year.
So you can start the party off right, invite all your friends to a virtual party. Come up with imaginative and creative ways to invite everyone.
Instruct the virtual meet participants to dress up as their favorite actor and reenact a simple dialogue from the movie character they are portraying while the others guess the actor and film.
Enjoy some tasty fare accompanied by amusing anecdotes that will have the entire house giggling.
Virtual Watch Party
A virtual watch party brings comfort, warmth, and cheer all at once to those who despise large crowded parties. Invite your closest friends to a watch party, where you can watch all of your favorite movies, TV shows, and documentaries.
The best part about this type of activity is that you can do it however you want. You can be comfortable in your pajamas at home and still have a great time with your best friends because there are no inhibitions.
Backyard Bonfire with the Family
The Coronavirus has kept families indoors for most of the year. The government has established strict guidelines for public gatherings. It is in our best interests to follow the rules, but we must not let them dampen our spirits.
Step out into your backyard and spend some quality time with your family. Decorate the chosen area with lights that have been leftover from Christmas.
The entire family can help light the bonfire and settle in for an enjoyable evening ahead. Let the conversation begin by ordering your favorite dishes or whipping up some fancy mocktails.
Steer the party in the direction you want it to go, whether it’s with New Year’s wishes and resolutions, old family stories, or funny moments. The best part about a backyard bonfire is that there are no time constraints, unlike hotel parties.
One is free to come and go as they please. Food, music, games, and dance bring the family closer together. This party’s complete flexibility is sure to make it a hit with everyone.
Donate to a Good Cause
At every level, the past few years have been difficult. In the aftermath of the pandemic, many people have lost their loved ones, while others have lost their jobs. In gratitude, we should count our blessings and donate to the less fortunate.
Collect warm clothing to give to the homeless, organize a food distribution for the poor, or simply donate to a non-profit. Let us all do our part to put a smile on someone’s face during these trying times.
As we draw closer to the new year, it is critical that we maintain our vigilance and continue to wear masks, and maintain social distancing. You can make your New Year’s Eve celebration memorable while staying safe with so many options available.
Final Thoughts
To say the least, this year has been an eventful year. But, hopefully, the new year will usher in a new era of brighter days—and that is something to rejoice about.
There are still plenty of memorable ways to ring in the new year responsibly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the dangers of celebrating New Year’s Eve?
Holidays are a perfect time to spend with loved ones, family, friends, and loved ones, often spending hours upon hours celebrating traditions — and, on New Year’s Eve, singing, dancing, and enjoying a few drinks and festive bites.
During a pandemic, however, all of those activities are fraught with danger. And some of the most enduring New Year’s Eve customs (like kissing at midnight or sharing champagne flutes!) should make people reconsider how they’ll ring in the new year this year.
While most people will avoid traditions that are obviously harmful to their health, there are other risks to consider when gathering on New Year’s Eve:
Shared air supply: Joining any kind of big group or crowd in a small room is risky in and of itself, but even a small crowd in a larger event space can increase your risk when compared to outside areas.
Wearing a mask can decrease the chances of infectious airborne particles spreading to people inside. However, spending hours upon hours in small spaces with limited airflow (even with masks on!) is far from safe.
Dancing and singing: Most New Year’s Eve hosts are unlikely to have all of their invited guests seated quietly 6 feet apart. Instead, New Year’s Eve is often marked by dancing and singing, which increases the chances of COVID-19 passing through shared airspace.
Party favors, food, and drinks: People congregating around a shared holiday buffet of appetizers, cocktails, and trinkets like kazoos or confetti crackers, on the other hand, can increase the risk of the virus being passed from hand to hand.
Rubbing your face, nose, eyes, or mouth with a dirty hand is still a major concern for COVID-19 spread in communities. While hand sanitizers or handwashing stations can help reduce this risk, some guests may forget to wash their hands throughout the night.
High-touch surfaces: All of the surfaces in your home, including doorknobs, handles, serving utensils, and even soft cushions on chairs and the like, can harbor infectious viruses throughout the evening.
To ensure that guests aren’t at risk, you’d have to disinfect these surfaces frequently throughout the night, which most people don’t do.
Should I accept a New Year’s Eve party invitation?
If you’ve been invited to an event, make sure to speak openly with the host to find out what steps they’re taking to mitigate the risks listed above.
It’s best to stay home if any of the risks listed above in FAQ #1 are evident in an invitation.
Is it possible for us to meet outside?
Some may be able to gather outside in warmer climates for an event or may wish to continue New Year’s Day traditions such as marathons or community swims on January 1.
If you have to attend a sporting event or a community event, try to avoid crowds, even if it’s in the open air, and don’t encourage members of your family to attend if they’ll just be spectators.
