Our nation’s ongoing battle with COVID-19 has put a definite damper on many of our upcoming holiday plans.
More than 100 years ago, during Christmas 1918, Alabama families huddled together in quiet quarantine to avoid the deadly germs of the influenza pandemic commonly known as the Spanish flu, the most destructive pandemic in recorded history.
Better than 1918 epidemic
The first Alabama flu cases were reported in Huntsville, the spread proving so rapid and deadly that the state closed all “places of public assembly.”
Due to ongoing medical needs because of World War I, doctors were scarce. Medical help came by wagon and often took days to reach Alabama’s rural areas.
By October 1918, all but one of Huntsville’s doctors and druggists lay sick with the flu. By the end of the month, the flu had infected more than 37,000 Alabamians.
Alabamians have many more advantages this Christmas than they did in 1918. A century ago, doctors didn’t understand what caused or spread the flu.
Preventive vaccines were decades away from development. Schools, stores, theaters and churches closed without the advantage of online teaching, worship services, streamed movies or shopping technology.
Those who wanted health updates had to depend on old news coming from slowly delivered print sources.
Families had little or no communication with loved ones living away.
Dying Americans (more than 675,000) overwhelmed hospitals.
More than 50 million people died worldwide.
And now, here we are in 2020, where due to the high risk of COVID-19, many Alabamians will be celebrating Christmas much like Alabamians did in 1918.
Many health care officials are urging caution with social gatherings, especially when someone is at a risk because of age or an underlying condition.
Out of caution, dinner parties and office get-togethers will be limited, as will holiday travel, dining in restaurants and recreation.
Last year, the nation’s consumers spent about $450 billion on holiday travel, eating out, sports events and entertainment. Analysts predict spending and travel will be greatly reduced this year.
With stringent shopping laws, store closings and bankruptcies, holiday gift and grocery shopping will be more challenging.
The National Retail Federation, the industry’s leading trade group, encourages shoppers to shop early when stores are less crowded.
Online shopping
Retailers expect online shopping to increase by 25% during this holiday season, potentially amounting to almost $200 billion.
Traditional delivery providers, such as UPS, FedEx and others, are predicting an avalanche of gift shipping and urge online consumers to order early.
Similar to Christmas 1918, many churches will cancel Christmas concerts, church gatherings and holiday programs out of caution.
Many Alabamians will celebrate the holidays quietly at home with only immediate family members. Some may discover they enjoy the holidays even more this year as they have a legitimate reason to escape the fast-paced, hectic holidays of Christmases past.
In fact, some may even decide to start new and more meaningful family holiday traditions — new Christmas customs directly inspired by the COVID-19 quarantine.
How can Alabamians celebrate Christ’s birth safely in the midst of COVID-19?
Here are some suggestions for adapting plans for your family Christmas in 2020:
- Prepare a quiet Christmas. Take advantage of the additional time this Christmas will bring and use the gift of extra personal and family hours to reflect upon Christ’s birth, pray and study Scripture.
- Rethink elaborate gift giving. With job closings, worker lay-offs, and fewer holiday-spending dollars, decide to buy, make or give smaller, less expensive gifts, being careful not to drain already-dwindling bank accounts.
Consider early gift and grocery shopping online with home delivery.
- Establish home holiday events. Become creative in planning Christmas family events at home, making quality time spent together the primary goal.
- For holiday dinners. If you plan to host a family Christmas meal at home, consider inviting only a few people so there’s room to social distance.
Also consider having only one or two food preparers, and as in all cases, continue to practice good hygiene. Set out hand sanitizers, extra masks, tissues, etc.
Frequently disinfect kitchen and dining surfaces, avoid buffets, potlucks and sharing serving utensils.
- Celebrate together at a distance. Observe Christmas with loved ones using Skype, FaceTime or Zoom, enabling each person to see, hear, talk and enjoy one another from a safe distance.
- And remain connected beyond the holidays. Keep in touch with loved ones through telephone calls, emails, texts and online messages and video chats. Contact neighbors often, helping to meet urgent needs.
Stay informed
For current information regarding COVID-19, call the Alabama Department of Public Health hotline at 800-270-7268 or email covid19info@adph.state.al.us. Telephone calls are answered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Interpreters are available.
For frequently asked questions and to check your symptoms, visit the Alabama.gov COVID-19 Information Hub at covid19.alabama.gov.
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