Is Christmas 2020 Canceled?

Is Christmas 2020 Cancelled?

Christmas 2020 During Coronavirus

Due to continued COVID-19 outbreaks, it’s likely that Christmas 2020 will look different this year. As we come upon the national holiday, you may wonder if Christmas 2020 is canceled. However, the answer will largely depend on your comfort level. Here are some things to consider when planning a COVID safe Christmas during the coronavirus pandemic.

• Who are you inviting?
• Where is the gathering? Is it in a city with a lot of COVID-19 cases?
• Are any of the people I’m inviting high risk for coronavirus?
• How will the food be served?
• Is this dinner indoors or outdoors?
• Will people be wearing masks?
• Is there enough space for social distancing?

If you are planning to host a Christmas dinner with family members and friends, it’s best for you and those coming to quarantine for 14 days, if possible. You should also encourage those who are not feeling well to stay home, even if it’s something minor. With the cold, flu, and COVID-19 going around this winter, you should always be more cautious and stay home if feeling sick. 

You will also want to carefully consider the number of people you are inviting so you can be mindful of seating arrangements in order for everyone to have enough individualized space to social distance. It may be a good idea to have an area outside for people to socialize.

According to Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, we have to be careful, and each group and individual needs to assess the risk and benefits of traditional gatherings this year—especially if people are coming from out of town, where they may have been on airplanes and other public transportation. 

Is it safe to travel for Christmas 2020?

Traveling this Christmas Day will put you, your family, and friends at a greater risk for contracting coronavirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and infectious disease experts, different modes of transportation will affect the likelihood of you contracting coronavirus. The chances of exposure are higher if you come into close contact with others, especially people you don’t know or use shared public facilities (like restrooms). It's clear that holiday travel may be different this year.

It’s also important to track the number of coronavirus cases in the location you are traveling. Visiting locations where there are fewer cases of COVID-19 may be less risky than visiting locations where there are more cases of COVID-19.

You may also want to consider which mode of transportation you are traveling by in order to celebrate the holiday. The following are risk levels associated with different transportation modes based on data from the CDC. 

Additionally, many states in the United States have various travel restrictions. See our article for travel restrictions across the country, quarantine, and testing policies.