Thanksgiving 2020 Safety Tips
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Strellis and Field! We are so grateful for our incredible clients and employees. Now that Thanksgiving is upon us, and due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases and the current Chicago Stay-at-Home Advisory, we wanted to share some safety tips and celebration ideas provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Red Cross to help keep you and your family safe and healthy this year.
Consider a virtual gathering.
The safest way to keep your immediate family and your extended family safe this year is with a virtual Thanksgiving. Try limiting your in-person thanksgiving celebrations to just your immediate household and then meet with extended family and friends through a video call. In the zoom call, all family members can go around and share what they are grateful for this year.
Prepare food for others.
A great way to show your gratitude for others while staying safe is by making traditional Thanksgiving dishes with your household members and then delivering them to family and friends without contact. For example, leaving the prepared dish on a front porch and waving and saying hello from a safe distance of over six feet.
Make your in-person gathering safer.
If you decide to have an in-person gathering, take a few steps to make the gathering as safe as possible. This includes limiting the number of guests, eating outdoors, wearing masks, and maintaining six feet of social distance away from those you not in your household. As always, wash and sanitize your hands frequently and check any travel restrictions before traveling. Also, consider having guests bring their own food or use single-use utensils and plates to reduce the number of germs being spread.
Try online shopping.
Online shopping is a great way to mitigate the risks of visiting crowded stores over the holidays. Plus, many stores offer huge online sales that encourage customers to shop safely from the comfort of their homes. If you do not want to wait for an online package to be delivered to your home, try to opt for contactless, curbside pickup.
Cook safely.
According to the American Red Cross, cooking is the top cause of house fires in the United States. In order to reduce your risk of causing a fire or any injuries, make sure you never leave any cooking food unattended and use a timer to remind yourself when items are cooking and when to turn off cooking appliances. Also, avoid wearing loose or baggy clothing while cooking and move any items that could burn away from the open flame of a stove. Turn pot handles in towards the back of the stove so they do not get accidentally knocked over. Keep a pan lid or a cookie sheet nearby that you can use to cover a pan if it catches on fire. It is also a good idea to keep a small fire extinguisher in the kitchen in case of emergencies.
Despite the different Thanksgiving that we will all experience in 2020, make sure to take the time to stop and reflect on all of the things you have to be grateful for this year. All of us at Strellis and Field are so thankful for all of our amazing clients and employees. We hope everyone has a wonderful and safe time this Thanksgiving!
