The winter holidays are upon us, but this year, the pandemic has made family gatherings more difficult and potentially unsafe. How can we celebrate without increasing our or other people’s risk of COVID-19?

In the words of Andy Williams, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” However, this holiday sea-son, some of the magic has been compromised by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While countries around the world are slowly rolling out COVID-19 vaccination programs, the majority of the population will not have had the opportunity to get inoculated by the end of the year.

And since coming into close contact with other people is the main way in which SARSCoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — spreads, traditional gatherings with family and friends are unsafe this season.

In this Special Feature, we explain how you can safely celebrate during this holiday season.

This may be a year unlike all others, but there is no reason why we cannot enjoy the holidays while looking after our own and our loved ones’ health and well-being.

Safety ‘on the go’

According to recent guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Research has suggest-ed that almost half of those who contract the new coronavirus do not experience any telltale symptoms. That being the case, they may unwittingly spread it further.

If a person is unaware that they have a SARS-CoV-2 infection because they remain symptom-free, they may choose to meet up with family members over the winter holidays. In doing so, they could con-tribute to the risk of others contracting the virus, including those who may already be more vulnerable, such as older relatives or loved ones with existing chronic conditions, including diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

That is why the main piece of advice this season continues to be to avoid social gatherings and only celebrate with people from one’s own household.

However, according to some recent statistical data, approximately 36.2 mil-lion people in the United States were living on their own in 2020, and isolation can take a significant toll on mental health.

For those experiencing loneliness, further social isolation — especially during a season usually associated with family get-togethers may seem like an unendurable option.

The CDC advise that people who may need to travel at this time should:

• avoid seeing people who may already face a heightened risk of COVI D-19

• refrain from traveling to areas where the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise

• avoid traveling outside their town if cases in the region where they live have been on the rise, so as to stop the virus from spreading further

• drive rather than using public transportation, where possible, to avoid close contact with other travelers

• avoid traveling with people from other households to minimize the risk of exposure

The public health institute also remind people to wear a face mask when in public or in the close vicinity of people they do not live with, and to continue physical distancing — staying 6 feet apart from those belonging to other house-holds.

It is also important to keep washing the hands as often as possible. Previous research has suggested that if more than half of those who travel by air were to wash their hands often and correctly, the spread of viral infections could slow down by approximately 70%.

If there is limited or no access to soap and water, the CDC advise using hand sank tizers with at least 60% alcohol content.

Finally, it is important to get the seasonal flu vaccination to help prevent the additional risk that influenza viruses pose over the winter months.

Yes’ to loving care; ‘no’ to peer pressure

If you are planning to attend a small gathering, the CDC recommend making sure that you and the host are on the same page when it comes to health and safety measures.

Furthermore, it may be best to use single-use plates and cutlery and individual condiment packets.

People may also wish to consider bringing their own food instead of sharing food with other guests.

To prevent the spread of viral particles, wearing face masks — both indoors and outdoors — for as long as possible remains best practice, as well as washing or sanitizing the hands before and after having contact with high-touch surfaces or commonly used utensils.

The same precautions apply to those who may wish to host a small gathering, with the added ad-vice to:

• invite just a small number of guests, ideally only those who live locally

• hold the celebration outdoors, if possible

• ensure that any indoor celebrations take place in well-ventilated spaces

• keep commonly touched surfaces dean

The CDC also advise people to avoid singing or shouting to limit the emission of particles into the air.

People who are or have recently been unwell should not host or attend any social gatherings.

They can opt for other ways of celebrating in-stead, such as holding get-togethers over video chat.

Most importantly, however, the best way of showing love and care this holiday season may be by not pressuring loved ones into attending festivities in person.

Equally, a person should not give in to pressure to celebrate in ways that make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

In an article for the Knowledge Centre at the University of Warwick in Coventry, United Kingdom, Prof. Sarah Stewart-Brown, an expert in public health at Warwick Medical School, advises open and honest communication:

“Sometimes, balancing the needs of others with our own needs can be tricky, and it can take a while to work out what feels like the right thing to do.

So the first piece of ad-vice may be not to rush into decision making.

Open discussion among family members about what they would like, and what feels safe and appropriate, will help.”

At the end of the day, loving care stands at the center of winter celebrations across cultures, so we should make our loved ones’ well-being the priority.

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the World Health Organization (WHO) emerging diseases unit, has recently expressed one driving sentiment, with which she encourages us all to align:

Christmas 2020: How to protect mental health

For most people, Christmas will be very different this year.

Christmas is traditionally a time to share food and frolics with our nearest and dearest.

For most of us, this is unlikely to be the case this year.

With travel restrictions and quarantines in place, we will need to adjust.

Although the pandemic has affected everyone in different ways, there seems to be little doubt that the average mental health of the population in the United States has declined.

At a time when family and friends are normally the closest, this year, they will be farther away.

Looking after our mental health in a proactive way is more important than ever as we enter the holiday season.

In this Special Feature, we will look at ways to fend off the seemingly inevitable blues of a physically distant Christmas.

Even without a pandemic to deal with, the holiday season brings stresses and strains, so with the added pressures this year has presented to us, we need to focus.

Right from the get-go, it is important to make it clear that nothing we provide below can fill the void or heal the anxiety that COVID-19 has produced.

Perhaps, though, it might nudge the needle in the right direction. Sometimes, small steps, taken together, can produce significant benefits.

Before we dive in, here is something to bring to the forefront of your mind as often as possible over the coming days and weeks:

1. Sleep

No article on maintaining mental health would be complete without mentioning sleep. We do not give it the space that it needs in our modem, neon-lit world. We all need to do better.

Losing sleep interferes with our mood. This is intuitive, but it is also backed by research. For instance, one study concludes, “Sleep loss amplifies the negative emotive effects of disruptive events while reducing the positive effect of goal-enhancing events.”

In other words, if we do not sleep enough, we are more likely to feel negative when things go wrong, and we are less likely to feel good when they go well.

Similarly, another study found that “individuals be-come more impulsive and experience less positive affect after a period of short sleep.” Once again, reduced sleep duration appears to dampen mood.

At a time when the mood of the nation is at a low ebb, sleeping a little extra might be a relatively simple way to tip the scales in our favor. For advice on get-ting better sleep, click here.

It is worth noting, though, that the relation-ship between sleep and mental health is complex and two-way mental health issues can impact sleep quality, and a lack of sleep can damage mental health.

2. Keep active

As with sleep, any article that aims to boost mental health has to include exercise. As the temperature drops, forcing ourselves outside can become increasingly challenging. Scientists have shown that physical activity can boost mood both in the short and long term.

Importantly, we do not need to run a 4-minute mile to gain mental benefits from exercise. A study from 2000 found that short, 10-15-minute walks boosted mood and in-creased calmness.

So even if it is something simple, such as dancing in your kitchen or walking your dog for a little bit longer, it all counts.

It is true that neither exercise nor sleep can replace a hug from a friend or relative, but if our mood is momentarily boosted or our overall average mood is upped, it might help us manage disappointment better and reframe this difficult year.

3. Addressing loneliness

For many people, loneliness has already been a significant feature of 2020. Reflecting on friends and family during the Christmas period is likely to intensify those feelings of isolation.

To combat this, make an effort to make contact. Whether it is a simple phone call or a video chat, schedule some conversations in.

Remember, you are not the only one feeling lonely. If it is safe and permissible in your area, meet up with a friend somewhere out-side and take a walk.

Check in with others — emails, texts, and social media can be useful in times like this.

Rather than doomscrolling, send a “How are you?” to someone you miss. They likely miss you, too.

Stay occupied. Empty time can move slowly.

Find a new podcast, listen to new or old songs, pick up that guitar, start drawing again, leam a new skill, or anything else.

An occupied and engaged mind is less likely to dwell on the loneliness.

A recent study found that people who get involved in an enjoyable task and enter a state of flow fared better during lockdowns and quarantines. The authors write:

“Participants who re-ported greater flow also reported more positive emotion, less severe depressive symptoms, less loneliness, more healthy behaviors, and fewer unhealthy behaviors.”

4. Eat and drink well

Christmas is associated in no small part with over-indulgence.

I don’t think it would be fair or reasonable to expect people, in 2020 of all years, to reduce their turkey intake.

With that said, there is growing evidence that what we eat impacts our mood.

For instance, a recent review that appears in BMJ concludes:

“Healthy eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, are associated with better mental health than ‘unhealthy’ eating patterns, such as the Western diet.”

With this in mind, ensuring that we eat well in the lead-up to and the days following Christmas could help us keep a steady mind.

5. Align expectations

Not everyone is on the same page when it comes to the pandemic. Some people might still be shielding, while others might have succumbed to “pandemic fatigue” and be re-turning to normal prematurely. Others still might use terms such as “scamdemic” and refuse to wear a mask.

Some family members might be pushing for a family meal, like the long distant days of 2019.

Others, sensibly, might be visualizing a Zoom-based meal plan.

These differences in position have the potential to cause disappointment and additional stress. It is important to have clear and frank discussions with family members about what they can expect this year.

Remember, with any luck, next Christmas will see a return to some form of normality.

Hopefully, we will only have to endure this unusual and uncomfortable Christmas once. If you are not comfortable with someone’s proposed plan, say “no.” And stick to your guns.

With spikes in case numbers across much of the U.S., the most sensible option is to limit human contact as much as possible.

Although laws, rules, and regulations vary be-tween regions, when it comes down to it, each individual has to make their own decision about how they act within the law.

To protect your own mental health, make your own decision and do not allow yourself to be railroaded into doing some-thing that you consider to be too risky.

The safest way to enjoy Christmas this year, unfortunately, is to do it virtually.

The take-home

Individually, the tips outlined above cannot replace the good times we expect from Christmas. However, if we make more of an effort to eat right, sleep right, and move around, the cumulative effect might be enough to enjoy some benefit.

Remember, we are on the home straight.

Reach out and talk to friends and family if you are feeling low. The odds are they are feeling low, too. Never be afraid to talk about your emotions. No one is having the holiday season they expected.

As many people struggle during this time, it might be hard to see an end in sight.

If you are contemplating self-harm or if you know someone who is, we have a list of excellent resources here. We are in this together.