Let’s Give 2020 A Safe, Virtual Sendoff
By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in 2020 were vastly different than in years past due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Celebrating virtually or with only members of one’s household were recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the safest ways to observe the holidays this year. Many abided by these suggestions, opting to forgo parties and big family get-togethers and follow the “Better safe than sorry” adage.
And New Year’s Eve is going to be more of the same.
The CDC endorses staying home and celebrating with the people you live with or celebrating virtually with loved ones on Dec. 31. They are discouraging large gatherings.
For those who do host or attend a small gathering, the CDC suggests taking the following steps to make celebrating the New Year safer.
If you host a celebration:
- Talk with guests ahead of time to set expectations for celebrating together.
- Limit the number of guests.
- Keep celebrations outdoors if possible.
- If indoors, open windows and doors.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and items between use.
- Have guests bring their own food, drinks, plates, cups and utensils.
- Have extra unused masks available for guests and encourage everyone to wear them inside and outside.
- Keep background music volume low so guests don’t need to shout.
If you attend a celebration:
- Bring your own food, drinks, and disposable plates, cups and utensils.
- Wear a mask indoors and outdoors and safely store your mask while eating and drinking.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs that can alter judgement and make it difficult to practice COVID-19 safety measures.
- Avoid shouting and singing.
- Avoid areas where food is prepared, such as the kitchen. Use single-use options, like condiment packets.
- If traveling for a celebration, know what to do before, during, and after travel.
Alternative Activities to Celebrate New Year’s Eve, as recommended by the CDC, include:
- Decorate, play music, and have a dance party with the people you live with.
- Have a pajama party and watch your favorite movies or play games.
- Plan a special meal or dessert with your family.
- Watch a live-streamed firework display, concert, First Night event, or other New Year’s programming from your home, such as the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop. Virtual events are happening across the United States.
- Take care of yourself and do something you enjoy, such as reading a book or taking a walk.
- Pick up a special meal from a local restaurant to share with your household.
- Plan an outdoor activity with people you live with such as a hike or sledding.
- Set new year resolutions. Find out if your hometown is sponsoring a special social media event and share your resolutions.
According to the Times Square Official Website, the New Year’s Eve celebration in New York featuring the iconic ball drop will involve a virtually enhanced celebration with socially distanced live performances and a limited group of in-person honorees.
Information on the site states that acclaimed singer-songwriter Andra Day will headline the live webcast and TV pool feed, performing her Grammy Award-nominated single “Rise Up,” as well as “Forever Mine.” Day will continue the New Year’s Eve tradition of singing John Lennon’s “Imagine” just prior to the ball drop celebration for the countdown of the final seconds to the new year.
Two-time Grammy winner and music legend Gloria Gaynor will perform “I Will Survive,” along with, “Joy Comes In The Morning” and “Never Can Say Goodbye.”
In addition to Day and Gaynor, the live webcast is set to include musical performances by Anitta, Pitbull, the USO Show Troupe and The Waffle Crew. The full event lineup will also feature live performances by Jennifer Lopez, Billy Porter, Cyndi Lauper, Jimmie Allen and Machine Gun Kelly for ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”
As the event’s official special guests, Times Square New Year’s Eve will recognize the “Heroes of 2020,” — first responders, frontline and essential workers and their families who sacrificed so much in 2020 to provide care and support for their communities.
The Heroes of 2020 will be represented onsite by New York families of first responders, frontline and essential workers.