Need advice on hosting an event amid COVID-19 pandemic or a Zoom baby shower tip?
Q. I have invited a couple of neighbors for an afternoon tea in my backyard. They are all going to wear masks, as am I and I will only be seating two at a table and they are big tables. I’m also planning on using plastic dishes and plastic silverware. Instead of hot tea, I am serving iced tea and I do have some stemmed plastic glasses for that. I’ve got some really pretty flowered paper napkins which I am planning on using with some matching flowered paper tablecloths. My mother-in-law cannot believe I am using all this throw away stuff. She thinks it’s tacky even though I told her it was because I wanted to be safe rather than take a chance of someone getting the virus. She still thinks it is tacky? Is it?
A. Under the circumstances of trying to keep from passing on the virus, it is not “tacky” at all to use items that can be thrown away. On the contrary, you are being smart and very conscientious regarding the welfare of others.
Q. Our granddaughter, who lives in another state, is going to have a baby. I had made several baby quilts some time ago for the purpose of giving them to my grandchildren when I found out they were going to have babies. I mailed my granddaughter the baby quilt I had made for her over a month ago. I just received a baby shower invitation this week. It is going to be some kind of Zoom baby shower and I don’t have a clue about how that might work, but my question is: Am I supposed to send some other kind of gift for this baby shower? My daughter, her mother, thinks I need to send another gift. I told her I would like them to bring out the quilt I made and sent and show it on this Zoom thing so everyone can see what I gave her. Not sure that is going to happen, but why shouldn’t it? It’s my gift — I just happened to send it early before the shower invitation.
A. What a wonderful gift to give to your granddaughter to welcome her new baby! It was a labor of love for you to make such a meaningful and special gift and definitely not one matched by any other gifts your granddaughter will receive. It definitely should be shown to everyone during the Zoom session and your granddaughter should tell everyone who made it for her. There definitely is no need for you to have to send any other gift for this baby shower.
Q. We are going to set up an outdoor movie in our backyard for our kids and invite other kids from the neighborhood. Would it be too forward of me if I gave each set of parents a list of the rules for their kids to follow when they come to watch a movie? For example, we are asking each child to wear a mask and maintain the 6-foot social distancing rule. We will be taking forehead temperatures before they come into the back yard. We will have a hand-washing station so each child washes his or her hands before they take their assigned seat. They must stay in their assigned seats. They cannot bring any toys or food. We are going to have a separate bag of goodies for each child which they cannot share with anyone else. It will have a soda inside, a ziplock bag of popcorn, ziplock bag of little packets of candy, and napkins. We will have a large trash can and the kids will all be asked to throw their trash in this large trash can. We are asking each child to bring a small blanket which cannot be shared with anyone else. If they need to go to the restroom, they need to hold up their hand and we will take them one at a time. We are asking the parents to bring their child at a certain time and pick them up at a certain time. We just want everyone to be safe, have fun and not get sick. Are we asking too much?
A. What a great idea for a fun time and no, you are not asking too much. It is very wise of you to send this information to each set of parents, and I am certain they will appreciate it very much.