Fun in the Time of Corona
While we may not be having large, crazy parties for a while, there is still fun to be had with smaller groups of socially distanced friends and family. And as I sit here in September of 2020, you may wonder why I would start a blog about entertaining? During this time, it actually seems more relevant than ever. We can’t go to our favorite places (like we used to) and explore new food and drinks. So have a couple friends over, safely, and work on making your in-home gatherings more interesting.
Photo by Matthieu Joannon on Unsplash
By now, you have heard endless tips on how to have small gatherings in times of a pandemic. So I won’t cover off on how to sit far apart or to sing happy birthday twice while you wash your hands. Hopefully you have that nailed. But there are some small details you can add that will not only keep things safer, but also make your guests even more relaxed and feel like you’ve really thought of everything.
Housekeeping
What I have found is that even with close friends, you may not know each others stance on social distancing, masks, etc. They have chosen to come over so you know they are somewhat comfortable. What I have found is right when they come over, ask everyone “So what is everyone comfortable with? Masks? No masks? Okay to go inside?” This will open up conversation and remove the awkwardness. People will tell you what their boundaries are and then you can get to socializing.
Have cooler, will travel
Even pre-Corona this seemed to be a great thing. Saved fridge space. Provided quick access to everyone’s drinks. But have guests bring a small cooler with them so they don’t have to go inside or reach into a shared cooler or your fridge.
Always have wipes and/or hand sanitizer around
Have these out and show people where they are. Put it right in the middle of the plates, utensils, etc. Done and done.
Disposable bathroom hand towels
These are easy to find in stores. Get the box of bathroom paper hand towels for guests to use and then throw away. No fear in using a shared towel that everyone else has been using — even if you did just wash your hands.
Individual or disposable cups
Whether it is for salsas, dips or just somewhere to put easy accessible individualized snacks, get some paper cups. These are easy to find on Amazon and they come in a bunch of different sizes. 5 oz. ones are nice for dips and stuff, but I also get 8 oz. ones for bowls for small servings of soup or salad. Start your search here.
You can also use metal condiment cups for ketchup, other dipping sauces, etc. I got mine at Crate & Barrel but you can probably find them many places. And your friends will be impressed you have restaurant quality cups! Find them here.
Just look for small ways to keep everyone's hand out of the food and any opportunity to protect you and your guests from sharing anything other than a good time.