Celebrating Christmas in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic will look very different to the Christmas celebrations we are used to. With the closure of Christmas markets and festive events being cancelled, there is a sense of uncertainty as to how a Christmas in a pandemic will look. That said, there is still so much fun to be had and plenty of safe event alternatives to ensure that the Christmas holiday season is as merry and bright as always!
Celebrating Christmas in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic will look very different to the Christmas celebrations we are used to. With the closure of Christmas markets and festive events being cancelled, there is a sense of uncertainty as to how a Christmas in a pandemic will look. That said, there is still so much fun to be had and plenty of safe event alternatives to ensure that the Christmas holiday season is as merry and bright as always!
This article will discuss how Christmas events have already changed during the pandemic and ways that Christmas events can adapt in order for us to safely enjoy the festive period.
Christmas events: how the pandemic has changed our holiday season
With a second national lockdown announced in November to remain in place until December 2nd, rules and guidelines which have been introduced to protect us will impact the holiday season in all sorts of ways, including:
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Social gatherings - social gatherings have not been allowed during lockdown and there is uncertainty about how many people will be able to meet together following the lockdown restrictions. Latest guidelines indicate that three households will be able to come together during the Christmas season.
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The closure of many shopping centres and stores during lockdown has changed the way we shop for gifts, leading to an increase of online shopping. Furthermore, many shopping centres usually invite Santa to meet children but this will need revising to ensure social distancing is in place.
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Closures and curfews of pubs and restaurants - during lockdown, pubs and restaurants have not been allowed to open (with the exception of takeaways) and there may be curfews in place when they are able to re-open.
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Closures of theatres - sitting through a dramatic Christmas pantomime is an annual tradition for many.
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The cancellation of Christmas markets - wandering through the Christmas markets, tasting festive treats at the various stalls and even taking to the ice rink is something many of us look forward to each year.
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Social distancing - of course, social distancing has affected many day-to-day activities, let alone events. The fact that we must all distance ourselves from one another means that some Christmas events will not be able to go ahead, which is why we need to consider alternative christmas events which are safe to run during the pandemic.
It’s important to note that the rules and regulations regarding COVID-19 are always being revised and you should check out the latest government advice in case there have been any new announcements or changes.
Alternative Christmas events
Virtual events
There has been a huge increase in virtual events this year as a result of social-distancing measures put in place in the UK. Throughout the year, business conferences and even festivals have adapted their events to go online so nobody misses out, the same can be done for Christmas events.
From hosting work parties to virtual carol-singing, you can use online platforms such as Zoom to bring everyone together - you can even have a live video call with Santa! Many virtual Christmas shows have been planned to bring theatre to our screens. For example, ‘Nice Lessons and Carols for Socially Disanced People’ is an interactive event due to run for 24 hours over the 12th and 13th of December. This virtual show which is designed to showcase events which were cancelled due to the pandemic will be free to watch with donations encouraged. This is just one example of how theatres or other organisations can adapt their traditional events so that they may run this Christmas.
You can find out more on how to host a virtual event here.
Socially distanced events
Meet Santa
Each year, children are excited to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what they’d like for Christmas. To avoid disappointing children in a safe environment, many shopping centres and other areas are planning to bring Santa back this year with extra protection in place to ensure the safety of children, elves and Santa himself. For example, Drusillas Park in East Sussex has revealed that Santa will sit behind a plexiglass screen and will avoid touching gifts for the children (they will be able to collect these themselves). The zoo will also ensure that areas are regularly disinfected and there will be enough space for visitors to socially distance.
Drive-thru grottos
Drive-thru grottos is another popular COVID-19 safe way to enjoy a festive family day out and get in the Christmas spirit. For example, Reindeer Lodge in Wales are offering a christmas lights trail and reindeer safari to enjoy from the comfort of your car.
Door-to-door
As a result of some Christmas events being cancelled, some companies and groups are organising door-to-door Christmas visits to bring Christmas to you! For example, Sprout and Turnip are Christmas elves who will visit homes in the Bournemouth and Poole area to collect children’s Christmas letters for Santa.
One of the organisers, Charles Duke, has this to say:
“The Characters were originally created for a touring theatre show called Santa and the Christmas Magic. It was all written, costumes made and we were ready to start casting and arranging the tour, then COVID struck and we had to adapt the production. After looking into a smaller scale version of the show, home visits, interactive grottos etc… we came to the conclusion we would need something that could go ahead regardless of the COVID situation and so the doorstep delivery was born!
We’re hoping that this project can help to restore some Christmas magic into Dorset and help keep a little normality for children and families after such a disruptive year”
With the pandemic causing so much unprecedented disruption to the events industry, it is likely that many more theatre companies will be adopting similar creative alternatives to ensure the show goes on this Christmas!
Christmas lights
Whilst Christmas light switch-on events across the UK have been cancelled due to the challenge of maintaining social distancing, there will still be incredible light displays brightening up the country for the public to enjoy. In fact, many areas have turned their Christmas lights on early to cheer everyone up this season - for example, Oxford Street’s lights were switched on on the 2nd of November and celebrated the heroes of 2020 (such as those working for the NHS).
If you’re planning a Christmas event and want to transform an area into a winter wonderland, we have christmas light and christmas tree insurance policies that will protect you financially so that nothing ruins your festive spirit!