Don’t start 2021 like the middle of 2020.
I seriously cannot wait for this absolute dumpster fire of a year to be over and done with. Granted, the first few months of 2021 will probably feel like a bonus round of 2020, but just rolling over that number and putting all this bad stuff behind us is still a pretty great feeling. It’s so great, I imagine more than a few of you are planning a New Year’s Eve party.
Sadly, new year or not, there is still a pandemic going on (hence that bonus round I mentioned), so if you are planning on throwing some manner of celebration, you need to be careful about it in order to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Much like Thanksgiving, if you absolutely, positively have to throw a party (and you should very carefully consider whether or not you do), you need to ensure all possible precautions are in place.
If you can, hold your party in an outdoor setting. The coronavirus spreads more easily while you’re indoors; if you go outside, you’ll get better ventilation, plus everyone can spread out to the recommended six feet. Everyone in attendance, and I’m talking everyone, needs to have a mask on, no exceptions. You can take it off for a moment to eat or drink, but otherwise, it stays on.
Speaking of food, you might want to impose a drink limit. I know, New Year’s Eve may as well be the official holiday for getting drunk, but getting drunk means reduced reasoning, and reduced reasoning means you may forget to stick to your safety measures. A few glasses of bubbly are fine, but this is no time for keg stands.
‘My New Year’s Eve kiss is the most important kiss of the whole year. It sets the tone for the next 365 days!’
— Blanche, ‘The Golden Girls’ (1991)🎉 pic.twitter.com/hPR2sza1LK
— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) December 29, 2020
Finally, you should be careful about who you put on the guest list. Older folks are in the strike zone for COVID, which means if they get it, it’ll be much worse for them. Wish grandpa a happy new year remotely. As for your friends, you should require a two-week quarantine if they want to attend. Yeah, it’s annoying, but it’s in the interest of everyone’s safety.
So have yourself a safe, happy new year, and cross your fingers, toes, and any other extremities you can manage that 2021 stinks a little less.