On Feb. 16, 2021, we updated our Close Contacts and Tracing quarantine guidance to align with recent CDC public health recommendations for vaccinated persons. Other materials will be updated as quickly as possible.

Safer Celebrations during COVID-19: Holidays and Other Gatherings

On this page:
Choosing safer activities
Travel

Holidays, festivals, and get-togethers are how Minnesotans celebrate the people, history, and events we care about. All of our celebrations, from holidays to sharing a meal with friends, are important expressions of culture, faith, and connection.

Because of COVID-19, this winter, holidays, celebrations and social gatherings will need to look different.

Starting Feb. 13, 2021, Executive Order 21-07 requires all Minnesotans to:

Limit indoor social gatherings to two households with no more than 10 people total, and stay 6 feet apart from anyone you don’t live with.
Limit outdoor social gatherings to three households with no more than 15 people total, and stay 6 feet apart from anyone you don’t live with.
Consider postponing large celebrations and events until there is less community spread of COVID-19.
Private celebrations where food and beverages are served, including receptions related to weddings and funerals, must be limited to 25% of a venue’s normal capacity.

Because of COVID-19, the safest way to celebrate is at home with only the people who live with you. Anytime you get together with people who do not live with you, even in someone's home, the risk of getting COVID-19 goes up for everyone.

Social gatherings may encourage older people and those with underlying health problems to attend, even though they are most likely to get very sick from COVID-19 and should stay safe at home.

If you gather with people from other households, remember to:

Wear a mask, whether at indoor or outdoor gatherings.
Stay at least 6 feet away from others.
Gather in an area with good ventilation. If indoors, bring in fresh air by opening windows and doors, if possible.
Cover coughs and sneezes, and wash or sanitize your hands often.
Write down the guest list in case someone tests positive for COVID-19 afterward and others at the gathering need to know.

If you are sick, waiting for COVID-19 test results, or were in close contact of someone who has COVID-19, stay home and do not attend a social gathering.

If you plan to gather with one other household indoors, or up to two other households outdoors, lay low before you go. Help keep loved ones safe by staying at home and only seeing people who live with you for at least 14 days before you gather. That is how long it can take to get sick after being close to someone with COVID-19. Staying home keeps you from spreading the disease when you have it, but do not know it yet. Getting tested for COVID-19 is recommended for anyone at any time. However, even if you get tested, you should still stay home and only see people who live with you for at least 14 days before gathering with people from other households.

Choosing safer activities

It is especially important this year to find safer ways to connect with others and help stop the spread of COVID-19. Help keep friends and family safe by choosing lower-risk activities.

Here are some ideas of activities that you can do individually, with the people you live with, or with one (indoors) or two (outdoors) other households.

Low-risk activities

Meals at home with the people who live with you.
Getting outside with the people who live with you.
Shopping online or doing curbside pickup rather than going inside a store.
Preparing food for family and neighbors and delivering without contact, especially for those who are most likely to get very sick with COVID-19.
A virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family who do not live with you.
A virtual movie night with family and friends who do not live with you.
A virtual craft night with family and friends who do not live with you.

More risk: Seeing others

A small outdoor gathering with no more than two other households and up to 15 people.
A small indoor gathering with no more than one other household and up to 10 people.

High-risk: Going to crowded places

Avoid these activities to help stop the spread of COVID-19:

Shopping in crowded stores.
Going to indoor gatherings with people from many different households.
Going to a crowded bar, restaurant, party, or concert either indoors or outdoors, where you cannot keep at least 6 feet from others.
Traveling between states. For more information on traveling, see Protect Yourself & Others: Traveling.

Celebrate a Safer Holiday (PDF)
Flyer with tips on how to celebrate safely. Customize the title for any holiday or gathering.
12/1/20

Translated versions: Celebrate a Safer Holiday

Other languages and transcripts: COVID-19 Stay Safe This Winter PSA

Learn more

Travel

Traveling increases the chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. If you are considering travel, include a plan to stay away from others (quarantine) when you get back to Minnesota. Incoming visitors and Minnesotans who travel out-of-state are asked to quarantine for 14 days, even people who have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more at Protect Yourself & Others: Traveling.