Each year, the holiday season brings opportunities for festive fun. However, with the emergence of the Omicron variant amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, planning for safe holiday activities could still be a challenge. Though reducing your risk of exposure to COVID-19 to zero may be difficult – here, we offer a few creative holiday activities, how some may be safer than others, and added precautions you may want to take.

What Holiday Activities are Safe during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

According to COVID-19 guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are steps you can take regarding holiday fun that may help to make activities safer,¹ including:

Getting vaccinated¹
Organizing outdoor activities¹
Wearing a mask indoors with members of other households, or in public places¹
Getting tested for COVID-19¹

Following these recommendations and checking the CDC regularly for updates about COVID-19 transmission in your area are great ways to help stay informed and protected this holiday season.

Festive Fun during COVID-19

Whether you’re tweaking time-honored traditions to follow COVID-19 recommendations, or looking for new ideas, there are a lot of creative ways to continue celebrations. The following options may spark some inspiration for safer ways to create fun activities to do with friends, or perhaps for smaller family activities at home:

Bring the fun outdoors: If you live in a colder climate, building a snowman offers classic fun when the conditions are right. Or, consider planning a holiday campfire with festive gear and hot drinks to help keep you warm. While these activities might be weather-dependent, celebrating in the open air is a safer option as noted by the CDC.⁵
Visit local holiday displays: Continue the fun outside – take a stroll around a well-lit neighborhood or check out your local community offerings to see if there are any festive light displays in your area.
Host a virtual party: Connect with loved ones you can’t be with in-person this year by planning some online fun. Invite friends and family to a themed virtual event like an “ugly sweater” party.
Find or make festive masks: If fun holiday group activities are on your wish-list, take a look for some stylish seasonal masks to help you stay covered³ while you celebrate. You could even get crafty and help your family decorate their own.

COVID-19 Testing for the Holidays

No matter what kind of holiday activities you find yourself enjoying this year, getting tested for COVID-19 can be a great way to help prevent the virus’ spread. Whether you’re experiencing symptoms, or taking precautions before or after visiting with loved ones, getting tested can help you take part in seasonal festivities with confidence.

Sources and External Links:

^{1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/index.html}
^{2. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/effectiveness/index.html}
^{3. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/mask-fit-and-filtration.html}
^{4. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home}
^{5. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/outdoor-activities.html}