Paper cups instead of your finest china? Elbow bumps instead of bear-hugs for your relatives? Or no relatives at all?
The coronavirus pandemic is set to transform holiday gatherings as we know them, along with traditional rules of etiquette.
That鈥檚 forcing many people to figure out the new protocols for getting together in a pandemic 鈥� even two pros who have organized events not only for family and friends at their houses, but also presidents and prime ministers at the White House.
Anita McBride, who served as chief of staff to former first lady Laura Bush, and Capricia Marshall, who served as social secretary to former President Barack Obama, told 蜜桃视频app that like everyone else, they鈥檝e had to rethink their approach to social gatherings.
For McBride, the pandemic has meant keeping everything small and in the family. So this year, Thanksgiving will be limited to her husband and two children, along with another family that they鈥檝e known for 30 years and have regularly spent time with during the pandemic.
鈥淚t will be small, but we鈥檒l make it as festive as we can,鈥� said McBride, whose White House service spanned two decades and who is now executive-in-residence at American University鈥檚 Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.
McBride said that inviting people you know very well will be key during the holidays.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e familiar with your home, they鈥檙e familiar with how you do things, and it makes it a little bit easier to handle a small dinner at your home,鈥� she said.
That鈥檚 especially important when it comes to masks, because people take them off to eat, so any guest who accepts your invitation does so on the presumption that they鈥檙e comfortable without masks, McBride said.
For Marshall, ensuring that everyone is comfortable has literally meant segregating her home to accommodate three generations, including an elderly mother with health issues, a 20-year-old son who regularly comes home from college and a cardiologist husband who鈥檚 in and out of hospitals.
鈥淪o our home is set up in zones 鈥� the safety zones for mom, the quarantined zone for my husband and also my son when he gets back,鈥� Marshall said, noting that since the pandemic began, she has only held a few small gatherings at her house, all of them outside.
Marshall, who also served as U.S. chief of protocol under Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, said many people are struggling to navigate the new social norms of COVID-19.
鈥淪o first and foremost, I would say stick to the traditional tenants of etiquette and appropriate social codes of conduct, which include being kind, practicing civility and respect, and truly being as patient as you possibly can,” Marshall said.
“We鈥檙e all managing this difficult time together. And we just have to practice a lot of patience. That being said, one of the most important elements of protocol is planning and preparation.鈥�
This includes adhering to local regulations about the size of gatherings and preparing your guests in advance on what to expect when they come to your home, such as whether they will be outdoors or required to wear a mask.
鈥淵ou can even put on your invitation BYOM 鈥� 鈥楤ring Your Own Mask.’ That really sends a signal to people that this is a home that is truly practicing the safest ways of gathering,鈥� Marshall said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 planning appropriately and then being clear with expectations when you send out those invitations.鈥�
Both Marshall and McBride agree that people will need to adapt to these new expectations, because they don’t see large get-togethers coming back any time soon.
鈥淚 think that the numbers will continue to stay limited,鈥� Marshall said. 鈥淲e are going to be managing this virus for a very long time 鈥� so we鈥檙e going to have to make those adjustments as we slowly make our way back into in-person gatherings.鈥�
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