With the vaccine rollout finally in full swing, things are looking up as far as safely gathering with friends and family this summer. While you should always follow CDC and State Health Department guidelines for how to gather safely, there are other things you can implement to make sure you and your guests have a great time as we get back into the swing of things this summer.
Think Small
Sure, the temptation is there to throw an all-out party after this last year, but realistically you want to keep things small. This goes for your serving platters too. Keep items individual. Whether you’re making a vegan chocolate mousse or bbq sliders, have them prepared solo. You could implement tons of cute ideas, like the salads in small mason jars ready for guests to pick up and burgers on individual small plates. Serving this way is more accessible for guests to grab without touching another person’s food, and not to mention, it’s cuter!
Obviously Outdoors
The need to stay outside when meeting up with people that aren’t typically in our “bubbles” kind of goes without saying at this point. Even if everyone you’re having over is vaccinated, it’s wiser just to keep the party outdoors. Thankfully, spring is in full swing, and even warmer weather is right around the corner, so gathering this way is preferable to being inside anyway. Make sure you’ve got plenty of hand sanitizer by the entries to your home so when guests do have to run in for the restroom or other things, they can safely de-germ entering and leaving. On a non-pandemic note, if you want to keep your guests even safer, maybe have some SPF sunscreen on hand to keep everyone’s skin healthy too! Hanging outside, especially during peak sun hours of the day, can sometimes bring more harm than good!
Stay Separated
If you’re comfortable having a large gathering, that’s a personal choice and yours to make. Consider, though, giving each household an area to eat of their own. You don’t have to cover your lawn or deck in red tape to zone each bubble out, but make it obvious. Sectioning like this can be accomplished in an esthetically pleasing way too. Maybe have place cards with each household’s name or a prominent theme to each section. Get creative!
Disposable Wares
Using disposable cutlery, plates, etc., may not be the greenest option out there, but unfortunately, right now, it’s your safest bet. Thankfully these days, you can find really adorable or luxe-looking disposable wares, so it’s easy to pick some up that fit the vibe of the gathering you’re hosting. You can keep things even safer by having a prominent, central trash bin for guests to toss their used items. Having the trash set up in this way dramatically cuts down on the host and other helpful attendees from having to touch other people’s used items. If the idea of tossing the forks and knives doesn’t sit right with you, create a separate tray prefilled with dish soap and water that guests can throw in. After everyone’s left the party, you can scrub them with gloves and save for another date. Win, win!
Obvious Intentions
If you’re inviting people to the party that you know still aren’t comfortable with the idea of others not wearing masks around them, set the tone with the invitation. Let it be evident from the beginning what the expectation of attendees will be. That way, if you’re inviting people from both camp mask and camp-no-mask when outdoors, the latter group knows that if they’re coming, it’s an expectation that needs to be adhered to. You’ve got enough going on as a host that you can’t be bothered with, also reminding others to do the right thing.
Games Galore!
With so much negativity surrounding us these days, every time we open our socials or turn on the news, it’s easy for party chatter to turn sour. Consider having several games ready for people to play to keep the mood lighter and conversations more uncomplicated. Games, where people can stay a little distant, are even better. If you’ve got a croquet set, this is perfect. Badminton is another entertaining option! Whatever you decide, it’s nice to have a fun and active focus like this to keep the party vibes lively!
