Are you thinking of hosting parties during Covid? With states and counties easing the lockdown and lifting the quarantine restrictions, you may be wondering whether it’s safe to throw parties during covid to bring back some fun in life. Although the threat of COVID-19 is still looming over us, many of us are in dire need of some sort of social connection and interaction with our loved ones to lift up the spirit and chase away those isolation blues and we think that it is doable—with plenty of ground rules and modifications, of course! With that being said, it is beyond question that our celebrations are going to look much different moving forward in this age of pandemic but we’re sure that the love, joy, and festivity of the occasion won’t be any different!
Whether you’re thinking of organizing birthday parties during covid or you’re up for a holiday get together with friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas, you will definitely need to go back to the drawing board to ensure that your party complies with all the safety and precautionary measures. From modified venues, spaced out seating arrangements, and social distancing friendly games and activities to setting up sanitation stations and using disposable tableware, we have put together some key tips and pointers to help you make your special events and occasions as risk free as possible whilst also making sure that you and your guests have the time of your lives! After all, we all deserve to relax and unwind after months of being isolated and confined into our homes. So, keep on reading as we walk you through creative and fun ideas to host successful and safe parties during Covid!
The Headcount and Invitations
To begin with, it is crucial to check the local guidelines and gathering size limit set by your state or county. In some states, gatherings of more than ten people are banned and people get arrested for endangerment, therefore, it is always best to verify the guest limit and other restrictions and regulations before you start planning your event. Your headcount will also depend on the venue settings and the available space in order to comply with the important social distancing rule. Once you have all that figured out, mail out the invitations way before the actual event date to make sure that your guests have enough time to pencil in your party. Send your guests email invitations with all the necessary rules and guidelines for your party or give them a phone call to convey your message in detail. You can also send them personalized invitation cards with favor bags and boxes filled with COVID essentials such as a face mask, disposable gloves, and a hand sanitizer spray bottle which they can carry with them to the party. This will also help you creatively reiterate the ground rules for attending and socializing at the party.
Venue, Decor, and Seating Arrangements
As COVID-19 continues to spread through infectious respiratory droplets and airborne contagions, it is important to reconsider your venue and how it can be modified to make your settings safer. Shifting your party location to an open outdoor space where the airflow and ventilation is not restricted is definitely worth considering. Whether you’re planning an intimate dinner affair or you are organizing exciting birthday parties during Covid, choose an open and airy space such as your backyard or garden where it is easier for the guests to maintain distance to significantly reduce the risk of transmitting the virus through aerosols. Go big on decorations and deck out your outdoor party venue with peppy and flamboyant hanging decorations, paper lanterns, balloons, garlands and tassels to cheer up the birthday celebrants. However, if you’re planning a festive holiday dinner party for your friends and family, we recommend that you put together a long table in your backyard, farm, lawn, or in a nearby woodland forest by joining multiple tables to space out the seats. Gracefully cover your tables with our waterproof disposable plastic tablecloths that can be easily cleaned and disinfected during the party using antibacterial wipes or sprays to keep harmful bacteria and germs at bay.
However, with winter on its way, hosting outdoor soirees won’t be a possibility for long. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t safely throw parties during Covid—you just have to be more careful and vigilant. You can always choose to set up in a spacious and well aerated indoor space to encourage physical distancing. Although we suggest that you mark spots and not leave the guests guessing the 6 feet distance while mingling and socializing, we don’t want to lose the beauty and aesthetic feel of an intimate dining experience. Thus, we suggest that you either opt for a circular seating arrangement with chairs set out at least 6 feet apart or assign one table to members of one household and separate the tables of other family units using our portable isolation dividers with clear vinyl drapes for an unhindered communication yet unsurpassed protection that’ll surely help you create a safe yet cozy environment.
“Party in a Box” Virtual Event
Virtual parties during Covid have definitely become a thing in this age of social distancing. Since people are tired of the same boring work from home routine, adding fun video calls and zoom sessions with family and friends to the mix surely lifts up the spirit. However, if you’re planning to have guests over to meet them in-person but some people on your guest list can’t join the party in the flesh, they can surely be a part of your celebrations virtually. In order to get them into the festive spirit, send them small boxes filled with party supplies and decorations to help your virtual guests decorate their space, along with props and other things they’ll need to participate in the activities you have planned for the evening so they don’t feel left out.
DIY Sanitation Stations
Wearing face masks and practicing good hand hygiene is the absolute need of the hour and setting up sanitation stations is hands down the most creative way to make sure that your guests have access to sanitizing solutions at all times to keep everyone safe. No matter the size of your event or where you’re setting up your party, having at least one PPE station is surely a must. To set up a DIY sanitation station, all you need are few packs of disposable face masks (choose our black disposable face masks if you’re going for a chic look), antibacterial sanitizing wipes, disposable gloves (we recommend that you opt for our powder-free vinyl gloves in case some of your guests are allergic to the powdered ones), liquid hand sanitizer bottles, and decorative tray organizers. Decorate a table with a gorgeous tablecloth and creatively organize all the sanitation essentials on the table using decorative trays. Also display some striking artificial flowers, LED string lights, and showpieces to draw attention to your sanitation station.
Dinnerware and Serving Style
As food is a huge part of any celebration, it is important to look for safer dining options to eliminate common touchpoints. This is where using disposable serveware and tableware plays an important role. Our affordable and cheap disposable dinnerware gives you the chance to elegantly serve your meal with the convenience of disposability that’ll help you avoid any direct contact with the used utensils after the party is over. For holidays and birthday parties during Covid, having a big buffet table won’t work anymore, thus, we suggest that you set up a COVID-safe food station with pre-wrapped individual servings in disposable plates and bowls for a safer dining set up. You can also hand out pre-packed lunch boxes with disposable dinnerware, cutlery, and paper napkins inside and the guests can toss them in the trash on their way out to minimize exposure through indirect contact. In case you’re looking for ideas to safely serve the birthday cake or dessert, layer your sweet treats in our small disposable dessert containers, plastic jars, or mason jars and customize them to say happy birthday, happy holidays, or just about anything to satisfy your guests’ sweet tooth in a safe and fun way!
Exciting Activities for Parties During Covid
Games, activities, and parties definitely go hand in hand but in light of the pandemic, it is important to plan social distancing-friendly games and activities for a safe yet exciting celebration. Here are some fantastic entertainment ideas that do not need close interaction but are super fun and interesting for both kids and adults.
Social Distancing-friendly Games
While card and board games are completely off the table, there are several other games that can be modified to meet the social distancing rules. Just make sure that there are no shared objects and the players maintain their distance from each other at all times. For instance, charades are one of the classics that’ll keep the guests busy for hours on end. To make it extra safe, switch out the chits with a phone app that generates titles of famous books, movies, TV shows, or characters. For more interesting and fun ways to celebrate kids’ birthday parties and other special occasions, check out our special blog on creative birthday party ideas during the pandemic.
Sip and Craft Parties
Let the artist inside you break out and plan sip and craft activities for your guests to commemorate the occasion with DIY crafts and decorations. Whether you’re looking for some meaningful covid bachelorette party ideas or you’re having a birthday party, sip and craft activities will engage people of all ages. Space out the crafting stations at least 6 feet apart or host a crafting party over zoom and provide crafting supplies to all your guests to let everyone show off their creative skills.
Holiday Face Mask Competition
We all will be wearing face masks anyway so why not have a little fun with it? Put a COVID twist on the famous ugly sweater competition and organize a holiday mask contest for your party guests. Ask them to put on creative and festive face masks when they attend your holiday party and watch them get competitive. The holiday mask competition is a great way to ensure that your guests wear masks during the party while also adding a cheerful festive flair.
Car Party Parades
If you don’t want to sit around the house for your special occasion, there is nothing better than going for a drive around the block in a decorated car with your friends joining you in their own cars for a fun car party parade. Go all out and bedeck your vehicle with balloons, paper flowers, garlands, personalized balloon banners, tassels, large artificial foam flowers, ribbons, and tulle fabric bolts and celebrate in the utmost fun and exhilarating way without risking your health and safety.
There is no doubt that organizing even small get-togethers will take lots of planning and effort, but being able to meet your loved ones in-person makes everything worthwhile. Don’t you agree? Just make sure to always check the guidelines about gatherings in your area before planning an event and cross-check the list of do’s and dont’s for social activities from the CDC to keep everyone safe and sound. Do you have more ideas to celebrate safely during the pandemic? Share them with us in the comments section below and also check out how to plan a wedding during COVID-19 to gather some creative tips and pointers for big scale events.
