Host safe, fun holidays at your apartment community
Daily life has looked differently this year, and despite our current health situation limiting our seasonal traditions, we should focus less on canceling plans and more on curbing the risk.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and although this is not the year for stuffing your apartment home with dozens of family and friends, here are some activities we can safely partake in without risking the health of ourselves and our loved ones.
Know the risks and follow CDC guidelines: The Centers for Disease, Control and Prevention has provided a detailed list of Thanksgiving activities categorized as lower risk, moderate risk and higher risk of spread. Plan your holiday events around activities in the lower risk categories, and make sure your guests are aware of what activities are riskier than others.
For example, a small dinner with family and friends with whom you currently live is a lower risk activity whereas a large indoor gathering is a higher risk activity. Limit your gatherings to a small number of people (preferably those with whom you already live), stay six feet from one another, wear proper face coverings and frequently wash your hands with soap and warm water.
Get creative and plan for low risk activities: Rather than host dinner at your apartment home, safely prepare food for family, friends and neighbors and deliver them to their doorsteps without physical contact. Put your traditional Thanksgiving treats in festive bags and wrap them with a bow to make others smile this holiday season. As always, wash your hands when preparing food.
Craving the joy of seeing and hearing your family and friends? Plan a virtual holiday dinner via video chat service. Encourage the guests to dress up and decorate their homes.
Avoid traveling or interacting with guests who recently traveled, if possible: The CDC notes that gatherings with attendees traveling from other areas poses a greater risk of spread than those who live in the same area. Avoid heavy travel and those who recently traveled.
Get outside: Hosting guests in our apartment homes this holiday season is categorized as a higher risk activity. It should be avoided in most cases. Instead, speak with your apartment community’s management to see if there’s an area outside that your guests can gather while social distancing.
Know the community rules and share them with your guests: Be respectful of your neighbors and the apartment community. Be mindful of the volume of your music or television as well as the volume of your guests’ voices. If you are planning outdoor activities, ensure you speak with your apartment community’s management ahead of time for approval.
In the season of giving, give yourself, your guests and your community the peace of mind of a safe, healthy and fun holiday season.
Courtney Gilstrap LeVinus is president and CEO of the Arizona Multihousing Association.