How to spend Christmas in these times of pandemic: psychological advice

It is clear that the coronavirus pandemic has substantially modified our lifestyle in all aspects, and family celebrations have not been left out of this phenomenon.

Although many people would like to celebrate Christmas normally with their loved ones, this is not going to be possible due to the new security measures we must take to ensure the health and well-being of everyone.

To make it easier to adapt to this period of celebrations in millions of homes, here we will review several essential keys to spending Christmas with the family from a correct management of emotions in times of COVID-19.

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How to spend Christmas in times of COVID-19, from a good emotional management

To spend the Christmas holidays in the best possible way (from an emotional point of view), follow these guidelines.

1. Don't always talk about the same topic

Christmas is above all a period of celebration, so it is advisable not to talk only about issues related to the virus, to

being able to express a greater diversity of emotions and enrich the communicative experience. Staying anchored in the monothem that covers all the newscasts is not only not stimulating, but also feeds unfounded fears.

2. Get the little ones involved

They also have their own opinions and feelings, and they may need to take advantage of situations like these to receive support from family members.

3. Give yourself more time to plan

We must not forget that the appearance of the pandemic is a source of stress. Therefore, and taking into account that Preparing for the Christmas holidays (and the shopping that goes with it) is stressful enoughOn this occasion, it is best to give yourself more time to prepare everything.

4. Unleash the potential of video calling

Until relatively recently it would have been unthinkable, but today it is possible to have “virtual meetings” in which groups of people participate on each side of the screen. It does not have to last the entire Christmas dinner, but a video conference session in which two households are connected by audio and video, it can be a very good way to break the insulation minimizing the risk of contagion... and it can even be a fun experience.

5. Relieve the collective pressure to buy gifts

In times of both health and economic crisis, it is advisable not to feed dynamics that lead to spending money to spend money. So, It is recommended that you propose not to buy practically gifts, or to postpone them for another month in which the expenses do not accumulate. Making this explicit will make it not an individual decision but a collective one, so that people with a more precarious economy can benefit from this.

6. In case of need, resort to therapy

Psychotherapy services don't stop even in times of confinement, because there is also the format of online therapy by video call. Psychologists will be happy to assist you.

• You may be interested in: "The 10 benefits of emotional intelligence"

To prevent contagion risks ...

Now that we have seen several tips when it comes to managing emotions, let's move on to the material level. These are the most important tips for spend Christmas in a pandemic period minimizing the risk of contagion.

1. Ventilation, masks and low talking volume

An MIT study concludes that these three variables are crucial when it comes to minimizing contact between people: room ventilation, use of masks by diners and speak at a low volume to avoid expelling the least amount of saliva droplets during the meal.

To achieve a constant high level of ventilation, the windows should be left open as long as possible. possible or, if not, it is recommended to ventilate the rooms for about 15 minutes every hour.

The use of masks should also be constant while you are not eating or drinking at the table, covering your nose and mouth.. When we are not using it, it is advisable to store the mask in a paper or plastic envelope to avoid contaminating it.

2. Small groups

This year all families should make an effort not to gather more than 10 people in their homes, 6 or less in some autonomous communities, in order to smooth the curve of coronavirus infections in the country.

Another of the recommendations on which the experts agree is to establish bubble groups during all the days of the celebration, that is, avoid meeting many people from different households.

Likewise, it is advisable if we have to see different people is to meet more times but with small groups of people, to avoid congregating many people in a house.

3. Remember hygiene measures

Hygiene measures are another key that we must keep in mind at all times to spend a safe and responsible Christmas.

Hand washing and the application of hydroalcoholic gel have already become a common procedure and daily in our lives, and this Christmas we must put it into practice even more, if possible.

In the same way, some hygiene measures are also recommended that we must take into account this Christmas, either during meals or in meetings. social of all kinds that are, in the first place, the fact of eliminating from the table the dishes and food to share, whether they are hors d'oeuvres or appetizers group.

Besides that, it is also recommended that it is a single person who sets the table, that only one serves the food on each plate and that only one individual removes the table, to avoid contagions to the maximum.

4. Short meals better than dinners

Short meals have become the best option this Christmas, in order to avoid dinners that last until late and can lead to nights out.

The duration of the meal should be short to avoid contagion and exposure to possible infected persons..

5. Cancel face-to-face meetings whenever there is a risk of contagion

At the first symptom of contagion by coronavirus or having been in contact with someone infected, the meetings for the family group itself should be canceled and you take medical measures relevant.

All families are looking forward to reuniting during these holidays, but we must remember that more important than celebrating Christmas 2020, is celebrating all of next year's Christmas together.