vox--2020-12-22--You can survive winter and not spread Covid-19. Here’s how.

Winter and the holidays can be hard even in typical years : short days , cold winds , and family stress , to name a few .
But the ongoing US Covid-19 surge , with more than 200,000 new virus cases reported every day since December 7 ( about double what they were a month before ) , is putting the hallmark activities that help sustain us — holiday gatherings , meals with friends , volunteering , or a visit to see Santa — in more dire limbo .
Despite being more than nine months into the pandemic , figuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously routine event is still complicated .
And the calculus seems to change with new case rates and evolving guidelines — and with our own fluctuating pandemic burnout .
Experts are still parsing the data on what role Thanksgiving played in the increase in Covid-19 cases and deaths .
But the hard fact remains that , with case rates so high , “ all activities are going to have some risk of being impinged upon by the virus , ” says Amesh Adalja , a physician and faculty member of the Johns Hopkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s department of environmental health and engineering .
And doing things with people you know — but aren ’ t living with — can heighten that risk .
Just because you love them , a family member or old acquaintance doesn ’ t have any lower risk of carrying or catching the virus than a stranger does .
And it will likely make you less careful than if you were interacting with a stranger .
So this winter is going to be different , but it doesn ’ t have to be all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it that way .
“ Usually people find the holidays stressful , so this could potentially be the year with less stress — just see what it feels like not to go to or host all those parties , ” Krysia Lindan , an epidemiologist at the University of California San Francisco , notes in an email to Vox .
She calls it a year for “ some experimentation.
” For example , she had a picnic on the beach for Thanksgiving this year .
Other experts suggest trying different activities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around a meal or at a party .
A big part of the challenge is that Covid-19 spreads before people start showing symptoms .
So anybody can show up feeling the picture of health only to unwittingly spread the virus to those they come into close contact with .
We talked with epidemiologists and other health experts about the safest — and riskiest — ways to see others , keep kids busy , help out , and travel this winter during the pandemic .
( Note : Activities are ranked relatively within each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk in one category does not carry the same relative risk as “ moderate ” in another category . )
Here is what they said .
As a result of the pandemic , millions of people in the US are struggling to put enough food on the table for themselves and their families .
More people need help this winter than perhaps at any other time in the past 80-plus years .
So there has been no better time to find ways to help others .
Helping out not only benefits others , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for you .
For example , thinking about and helping others is a really important way to combat anxiety and stress and a feeling of helplessness — all of which are currently pervasive .
“ It ’ s always good to volunteer , and doing so might lighten the sadness of not being able to see family and friends as in years past , ” Lindan writes .
Other experts agree : “ I do think people are hungry for ways to help each other right now , ” says Jodie Guest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emory University ’ s Rollins School of Public Health .
Charitable organizations can often stretch donated money further than donated goods .
So financial contributions are especially helpful , in addition to being Covid-19 transmission-free .
Established charity-rating sites , such as GuideStar or Charity Navigator , can tell you how much of your contribution will go directly to the cause .
The next safest way to help out this season is through contact-free volunteering or donations .
This could be a formal , organized effort , like contributing food to a local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts , like arranging grocery or meal deliveries for higher-risk community members .
Guest notes that these kinds of efforts can also safely be turned into a shared experience of sorts — such as organizing a coat or blanket drive with friends , family , or neighbors .
( She suggests quarantining the donated goods for three days before you touch them . )
Moderate : Helping out in person with a few others There are many organizations that rely heavily on behind-the-scenes volunteers .
Food pantries or clothing and household goods distribution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and help in a slightly safer environment than , say , serving meals .
Before you go , find out how many other people you will be working with , if they require masks , and how long you will be expected to work ( shorter shifts are better for limiting exposure ) .
You shouldn ’ t have to look far for opportunities to contribute this way in your area , says Guest : Since the start of the pandemic , “ the need for volunteers has only gotten bigger.
” Riskier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people If you want to do more personal work , first check in with places where you might want to volunteer and ask if they are accepting in-person help and what precautions they are taking .
For instance , if you want to serve meals , ask how many people they allow in at any time , if people are required to have masks , how often the organization cleans the area , and whether you will be the only one touching serving utensils , Guest notes .
“ You should continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when in a group setting — masks , even face shields , hand-washing , and distancing to the extent possible , ” Lindan writes .
The highest-risk ways to give back this year are those where you volunteer in person in a place where lots of people live , whether that ’ s a homeless shelter or an assisted living facility .
Each carries different risks in terms of acquiring the virus or passing it along .
But , as Guest notes , most of these places are being quite careful in terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and whether they allow them at all ) .
Even so , it ’ s still good to check on their practices first .
You can also ask if there are other ways your time or money could be even more valuable to them than serving in person .
See people from other households Whether you usually celebrate Christmas , Festivus , New Year ’ s , or a birthday this time of year , it ’ s likely that plans for a get-together will need to be adapted — if not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people from different households together is risky .
Before the pandemic , more than 85 percent of Americans planned to attend a gathering with extended family or friends for the holidays .
And the average holiday meal included about 11 people .
Now , in many states , that exceeds the limit allowed for private gatherings .
( The maximum is 10 or fewer — sometimes as few as five — in many places , including Connecticut , Delaware , Idaho , Illinois , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Mississippi , Nevada , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ohio , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Texas , Virginia , Washington , and Washington , DC .
And in some states — including California , Colorado , Illinois , Minnesota , Rhode Island , Vermont , and Washington , gatherings can not include people from other households at all . )
Even if your state allows gatherings ( decisions that are often made based on a variety of reasons including transmission rates and also political and economic interests ) , there are good reasons to reconsider get-togethers .
In many places , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t do anything with people you aren ’ t actively living with [ because ] there ’ s so much virus spreading out in the community , ” says Lisa Gralinski , an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health .
For example , an area with more than 5 percent of tests coming back positive indicates that there is undocumented community spread .
Just two states as of mid-December have test positivity rates below that .
Even in those places , she says , “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” As Lindan notes , it is especially important to “ avoid multi-generational gatherings that include older adults and those with pre-disposing health conditions.
” Expected family time might need to be skipped this year .
“ This may be the year not to invite your young adult children to come home or , conversely , to visit your parents or grandparents , ” Lindan writes .
The final Covid-19 caution to remind others of is that this particular virus frequently spreads just before someone develops symptoms ( as well as from people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So feeling fine provides little to no measure of safety .
With these things in mind , here are considerations for different formats of gatherings this season .
It ’ s hard to pass the dessert when you ’ re celebrating on Zoom .
But it ’ s also impossible to pass Covid-19 .
Althoff said that although she loves visiting her “ ginormous ” family in Iowa , she won ’ t be seeing them in person this year .
Instead , she is planning to partake in video toasts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other ideas include having everyone make the same food or drink to enjoy during the call or playing a game of charades — or even enlisting kids to provide entertainment .
Next safest : Small , short , outdoors , distanced , and masked — hold the food and drink For some , seeing others in person is not something they are willing to hold off on until there is widespread vaccination .
So the safest way to do this is by keeping gatherings small , brief , outdoors , distanced , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food and drink .
“ Outside is where we want to be if we want to be together , ” Guest says .
She also recommends keeping it under a total of 10 people — with only one or ( if your area permits it ) two other households — and keeping everyone separated by household pod .
One caution this time of year is to be mindful of outdoor heaters .
They can help extend the outdoor season , but if too many people are crowded around them , that could increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guest notes , she bought two heaters for her porch : one for her household and the other , spaced far away , for one couple they see regularly , outdoors .
If eating and/or drinking are non-negotiable , “ Consider having tables spaced around outside and people within bubbles or family units seated together , ” Lindan writes .
Guest adds that everyone should be masked when they ’ re not eating or drinking .
People should also be mindful of alcohol consumption , she says , as it reduces inhibitions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety protocols and more likely to revert to pre-pandemic socializing behaviors .
Riskier : Indoors , distanced , and masked — or testing and quarantining If you decide having people together indoors is the only option , there are several things you can do to decrease the risk of turning your event into a Covid-19 outbreak .
Most of the usual advice applies : Ensure people keep their masks on at all times and remain physically distant .
Keeping households in different areas “ is not perfect , ” says Gralinski , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intermingling and being right next to each other.
” Keep the event short , and limit the number of people attending .
And increase air circulation by opening windows , turning on fans , and cranking on the central AC or heat , Althoff said .
But be forewarned that although a gathering might be set up with the best of plans — distanced seats , open windows , masks — indoor risk is higher than outdoor risk , says Adalja .
“ Especially if it ’ s a social gathering with friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfortable around.
” If strict distancing seems like it will be challenging , one option is to have everyone test and quarantine beforehand .
It ’ s not a perfect strategy , but it can decrease risks a bit .
Here ’ s how : • Test : Have everyone get a Covid-19 test before the gathering — and if anyone is traveling , they should test before they make the trip .
• Quarantine after testing and before seeing others : This means households should avoid contact with others , including not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or school in person .
“ Once you test , you need to quarantine as much as possible , ” Guest says , so that you don ’ t then contract the virus in the interim .
The CDC is recommending that people traveling should quarantine for at least a week upon arrival — as well as testing again three to five days after traveling .
Now , if everyone is negative , the gathering could proceed with slightly less worry about spreading Covid-19 .
Adalja recommends doing some research on testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning results , and the American Clinical Laboratory Association has warned of increased stress on testing capacity and shortages of testing equipment ahead of the holidays .
Also , as Adalja points out , “ Test results are not ironclad — just look at the White House , ” where top-level officials are tested regularly but there have still been numerous outbreaks .
And tests are only a snapshot of one point in time and can even return negative results if someone is early on in their infection .
If someone is unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a young adult who comes home to their parents ’ house and can not remain entirely separate from other household members ) , the next best option is to at least get everyone tested and attempt as much of a quarantine as possible while awaiting results , says Lindan .
Riskiest : Indoors with few or no precautions A standard , sit-down indoor meal with anyone outside of your household presents a substantially increased risk of transmitting the virus .
Other things that further increase the risk include a large number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathering , physical closeness — whether that ’ s people packed into a kitchen cooking together or around a table — limited mask-wearing , and shouting ( it was an election year , after all ) or singing ( hold the holiday songs ) .
“ I would just avoid large gatherings indoors at all costs , ” Lindan says .
“ I know it ’ s really hard.
” Traveling during the holidays is usually a little hellish : crowded planes , overheated trains , and gridlocked automobiles .
But this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that much more daunting .
“ Given the rise in cases throughout many parts of the US , the best advice is to avoid travel at this time , ” Lindan writes .
The CDC has , in fact , asked people to avoid travel .
Travel right now can also get pretty complicated pretty quickly , and not just because you need to pack extra masks and hand sanitizer .
Some 24 states and the District of Columbia have travel advisories or orders — carrying fines of up to $ 10,000 for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to test , quarantine , and/or submit official paperwork if they will be visiting the state for more than 24 hours ( i.e.
, not just traveling through ) .
So that usual week-long visit to see family in California , New York , or Chicago , for example , isn ’ t going to be as feasible .
( Specific guidance is also available through the CDC ’ s travel planner . )
“ It might be a logistical nightmare to make sure you ’ re in compliance , ” Adalja @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In addition to state or city guidelines for travel , many employers , schools , and day cares are issuing rules about travel , so Althoff advised reviewing those as well .
“ Be ready to accept abrupt changes to your travel plans.
” If you must travel this winter , there are ways to reduce your risk of catching or spreading the virus .
Much of it depends on how you travel .
In this case , while you ’ re in the car , you ’ re just with your pod @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it household members only .
Expanding the roster to other people vastly increases the risk of this mode of travel , especially since , “ If you ’ re taking a road trip with a bunch of your friends , you ’ re more likely to be unmasked , and you ’ re less likely to distance , ” Adalja says .
Things to consider along the way : where you ’ ll eat , where you ’ ll sleep , and where you ’ ll make pit stops .
Short pit stops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ okay , says Guest — wear your mask and wash and/or sanitize your hands .
Some travelers are choosing to bring their own open-air facilities on car trips these days .
“ The safest is going to be being self-contained as much as possible , ” Gralinski says .
For sleeping , that might mean renting a dwelling that you have entirely to yourself to stay in “ and bringing as many supplies as you possibly can.
” The idea is to minimize contact with others , which includes limiting trips to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , curbside pickup and drive-through are safest .
What about hotels ?
A November study in Nature , based on cellphone data of 98 million people in large cities , found that this spring , hotels and motels were fairly large drivers of Covid-19 spread — just below restaurants , gyms , and cafes .
( Their data , though , is from March 1 to May 2 , a period during which mask mandates and other Covid-19-prevention protocols were just starting . )
Adalja says these days hotels are taking many more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long as you ’ re careful .
“ It ’ s not the hotel itself , it ’ s what you do in the hotel , ” he says .
So wear a face covering , wash your hands , and avoid other people ( for example , skip the elevator , restaurant , bar , and lobby common areas ) .
For her part , Gralinski said she still avoids hotels .
For a fall vacation she and her husband took , they rented a camper to travel in .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bathroom , got curbside takeout ; we were pretty self-sufficient , ” she says .
They would park in the driveways of friends ’ houses and see them safely from a distance outdoors .
Even though it was cold , it worked .
“ We got to see friends , and it was amazing.
” We still don ’ t have definitive data on the safety of air travel right now .
Many of the studies that looked at airplane risk — which did show cases of transmission — were carried out before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the fact that masks are now mandated , and planes have very high rates of air circulation — replacing the full air of the cabin with clean air about 20 to 30 times per hour , thus hopefully removing more virus from the air .
“ The data does show that airline travel is fairly safe right now if people are wearing face coverings , ” Adalja says .
But there are other downsides to flying , and they mostly have to do with other people .
Namely , you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them — even with middle seats empty , as they remain on some , but not all , airlines — and you ’ re largely at the mercy of their choices .
Do they keep their mask on for the entire flight or have it off for long stretches ?
Another thing to be mindful of in air travel is that it involves a lot more than just sitting on a plane .
” It ’ s the whole experience , ” Althoff says , including airport shuttles , lines , lots of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all over the country , including areas with very high rates of transmission .
If you ’ re going to be in an airport , she advises to “ practice your statement about how you will remind a stranger to maintain a distance.
” Also , be prepared to remind people about masks .
In airports and even in airplanes , “ insouciant mask-wearing — by having them dangle from earlobes or positioned under the nose — still seems to happen , ” Lindan says .
“ Don ’ t be afraid to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when in the airport.
” How can you lower your risk if you do decide to fly ?
Wear not only a good mask but also eye protection , such as sunglasses , safety glasses , goggles , or a face shield ( with a mask ) , says Guest .
Also , you can check to see if a flight will serve snacks or beverages .
This used to be a perk , but these things now up the odds of virus transmission as people remove their masks to eat or drink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid a flight with food and drink services .
“ If you need to eat or drink something on a plane , do so when other people are not eating , ” Lindan writes .
“ Keep your mask on , and only lift it up to insert food or drink into your mouth.
” There has been even less research on train travel than on plane travel .
A study from passenger trains in China relatively early in the pandemic — mid-December 2019 through early March 2020 — found Covid-19 spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trips , especially if people were in close proximity for more than three hours .
Based on these findings , which were published over the summer , the authors suggested physical distancing , mask-wearing , and improved air filtration would lower the rate of spread on trains .
These are all steps Amtrak has instituted , along with enhanced cleaning and other measures .
Trains also have the advantage of generally having fewer passengers per square foot than planes , and you might be more able to get away from someone who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Amtrak also offers private rooms on some trains . )
However , experts we spoke with suggested it might still be slightly riskier than air travel .
This is in part because distance train trips are more likely to be longer than a typical domestic flight , increasing your exposure time to others .
Train cars also don ’ t quite have the same rate of air replacement as an airplane cabin — Amtrak is promising clean air exchange 12 to 15 times an hour .
Like airports , there are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there might be even less enforcement of rules , as they are typically more open to the public ( rather than the majority of airport space being behind TSA checkpoint screening ) .
We also don ’ t have a lot of solid scientific information about the risk of Covid-19 transmission on long-haul buses .
But early research suggests this mode of travel could be riskier than planes or trains , especially when people aren ’ t taking proper precautions .
One case study showed how a single sick passenger on a bus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a drive that was less than an hour .
Of note , though , is that in this superspreading event , which occurred in January 2020 , none of the passengers were wearing masks , and the bus was recirculating air .
Bus companies in the US have updated safety protocols to help reduce spread of the virus .
Greyhound , for example , requires face masks , has upped cleaning and sanitizing of its buses , replaces the bus air about 12 times per hour , and is “ encouraging ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , are still warier of bus travel over other modes of transport right now .
“ It might be harder on a longer ride to keep your mask on , and it ’ s probably not as enforced as it is on an airplane , ” Adalja says .
Outside , outside , and mostly outside is what experts say as a general rule for kid activities this winter .
To that end , if you live in a colder climate , it ’ s an important year to make sure you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids well .
That said , there are some caveats to this guidance .
Not all outdoor activities are created equal , and there could be some indoor ones that , if done responsibly , could carry slightly less risk .
It ’ s also important to remember that “ the virus survives longer in the winter due to the lower temperature and lower humidity , resulting in increased risk of transmission in winter compared to summer , ” Dean Blumberg , chief of pediatric infectious disease at the UC Davis Children ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Vox .
The activities that carry the lowest risk of Covid-19 for kids are the same as adults : avoiding exposure to anyone outside the household , whether it ’ s indoors or out .
This could mean there ’ s more screen time this winter — including those video calls with family and friends .
Or time offline doing crafts ( particularly to give to people you can not see in person ) or house projects , such as cleaning out old toys and clothing to donate .
Or bundling up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as exploring quiet parks , hiking , biking , or sledding .
What about all of those museums and movie theaters that were key — especially during long school breaks — in the Before Times ?
“ If you ’ re going to a kids museum where you ’ re restricting the number of people , and everybody ’ s wearing a mask and hand-washing , and they have good air filtration , that ’ s probably okay , ” Lindan says .
Adalja agrees .
Even though a museum is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distanced and wearing masks , that becomes an obstacle that ’ s harder for the virus to overcome.
” That said , some experts caution that other indoor activities — even though they might seem to have similar precautions — carry higher risk , especially if local case numbers are high .
“ If there is increased transmission in your community , then an indoor activity like a movie theater is risky , ” noted Blumberg .
“ There may be compromising of social distancing in common areas , such as corridors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masking at all times as they sip their soda or snack.
” According to the experts we spoke with , a busy playground might bring higher risk of Covid-19 transmission than a quiet indoor activity in which all of the best protocols are being followed .
For example , “ playgrounds — those are not ever going to be without risk , ” Adalja says .
Not all kids are diligent about wearing their masks , surfaces are very high-touch , and it ’ s essentially impossible to keep children physically distanced .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have to make an individual risk calculation , ” he says .
Also , outdoor sports in which kids come into contact with one another increase the risk of transmission , as could crowded outdoor events or activities , especially those where people do not always have their masks on ( such as for eating or drinking ) .
Families are all having to make the best decisions for themselves .
And keeping kids isolated from others , especially on school breaks or when schools are remote , is not always feasible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do to lower the risk in these situations .
Continue to avoid any crowded indoor spaces where you will come into contact with other households .
Instead , work with another family or two ( if permitted in your locality ) to establish a small , closed group of children for in-person visits , ensuring everyone is comfortable with each household ’ s risks and behavior , and insist on hand-washing .
“ The whole thing is about weighing risks and benefits , ” he says .
“ Children playing is crucial for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act.
” But high levels of community transmission can tip those scales and make in-person activities with friends too risky for many .
And any time group visits can be outdoors , that will help lower the risk .
We have an opportunity , through our actions , to make a real impact on the spread of the pandemic — not just among our own circles but in the broader community .
This has important implications for health justice and equity because when the virus spreads , it is more likely to hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their families , and people of color .
“ Our epidemic is only going to recede if people take the appropriate precautions , ” Lindan writes to Vox .
“ The problem is that we just do not want to do what we have to do.
” So this winter will take some acceptance , perseverance , and perspective .
How are epidemiologists putting this difficult season into perspective for themselves ?
For one , by “ acknowledging that this is hard and that the holidays of 2020 are going to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We need to be cautious and protect each other now so that when we do get together [ in the future ] everyone we care about is there .
It ’ s important to keep that in mind so that these sacrifices now feel like they ’ re worth it.
” Lindan agrees .
“ It ’ s really difficult over the holidays .
We want to see our family and friends , and it ’ s a really difficult task not to after living this way for so long .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay for the long-term benefit.
” And as Althoff reminds us , “ We will be telling stories from these holidays for generations to come.
” It ’ s largely in our control to make them the right ones .
Katherine Harmon Courage is a freelance science journalist and author of Cultured and and Octopus !
Find her on Twitter at @ KHCourage .

Winter and the holidays can be hard even in typical years: short days, cold winds, and family stress, to name a few. But the ongoing US Covid-19 surge, with more than 200,000 new virus cases reported every day since December 7 (about double what they were a month before), is putting the hallmark activities that help sustain us — holiday gatherings, meals with friends, volunteering, or a visit to see Santa — in more dire limbo.
Despite being more than nine months into the pandemic, figuring out whether and how to approach a previously routine event is still complicated. And the calculus seems to change with new case rates and evolving guidelines — and with our own fluctuating pandemic burnout.
Experts are still parsing the data on what role Thanksgiving played in the increase in Covid-19 cases and deaths. But the hard fact remains that, with case rates so high, “all activities are going to have some risk of being impinged upon by the virus,” says Amesh Adalja, a physician and faculty member of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health’s department of environmental health and engineering.
And doing things with people you know — but aren’t living with — can heighten that risk. Just because you love them, a family member or old acquaintance doesn’t have any lower risk of carrying or catching the virus than a stranger does. And it will likely make you less careful than if you were interacting with a stranger.
So this winter is going to be different, but it doesn’t have to be all bad unless we are determined to think of it that way. “Usually people find the holidays stressful, so this could potentially be the year with less stress — just see what it feels like not to go to or host all those parties,” Krysia Lindan, an epidemiologist at the University of California San Francisco, notes in an email to Vox. She calls it a year for “some experimentation.” For example, she had a picnic on the beach for Thanksgiving this year. Other experts suggest trying different activities, like a distanced hike instead of gathering around a meal or at a party.
A big part of the challenge is that Covid-19 spreads before people start showing symptoms. So anybody can show up feeling the picture of health only to unwittingly spread the virus to those they come into close contact with.
We talked with epidemiologists and other health experts about the safest — and riskiest — ways to see others, keep kids busy, help out, and travel this winter during the pandemic. (Note: Activities are ranked relatively within each category, so a “moderate” risk in one category does not carry the same relative risk as “moderate” in another category.) Here is what they said.
Helping others out
As a result of the pandemic, millions of people in the US are struggling to put enough food on the table for themselves and their families. More people need help this winter than perhaps at any other time in the past 80-plus years. So there has been no better time to find ways to help others.
Helping out not only benefits others, it also has a knock-on positive effect for you. For example, thinking about and helping others is a really important way to combat anxiety and stress and a feeling of helplessness — all of which are currently pervasive.
“It’s always good to volunteer, and doing so might lighten the sadness of not being able to see family and friends as in years past,” Lindan writes.
Other experts agree: “I do think people are hungry for ways to help each other right now,” says Jodie Guest, vice-chair of the department of epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.
Safest: Give money
Charitable organizations can often stretch donated money further than donated goods. So financial contributions are especially helpful, in addition to being Covid-19 transmission-free. Established charity-rating sites, such as GuideStar or Charity Navigator, can tell you how much of your contribution will go directly to the cause.
Next safest: No-contact help
The next safest way to help out this season is through contact-free volunteering or donations. This could be a formal, organized effort, like contributing food to a local pantry, or it could be personal efforts, like arranging grocery or meal deliveries for higher-risk community members.
Guest notes that these kinds of efforts can also safely be turned into a shared experience of sorts — such as organizing a coat or blanket drive with friends, family, or neighbors. (She suggests quarantining the donated goods for three days before you touch them.)
Moderate: Helping out in person with a few others
There are many organizations that rely heavily on behind-the-scenes volunteers. Food pantries or clothing and household goods distribution centers might offer opportunities to donate time and help in a slightly safer environment than, say, serving meals. Before you go, find out how many other people you will be working with, if they require masks, and how long you will be expected to work (shorter shifts are better for limiting exposure).
You shouldn’t have to look far for opportunities to contribute this way in your area, says Guest: Since the start of the pandemic, “the need for volunteers has only gotten bigger.”
Riskier: Volunteering in person with larger numbers of people
If you want to do more personal work, first check in with places where you might want to volunteer and ask if they are accepting in-person help and what precautions they are taking. For instance, if you want to serve meals, ask how many people they allow in at any time, if people are required to have masks, how often the organization cleans the area, and whether you will be the only one touching serving utensils, Guest notes.
“You should continue to use the same precautions as always when in a group setting — masks, even face shields, hand-washing, and distancing to the extent possible,” Lindan writes.
Riskiest: Volunteering in congregate living settings
The highest-risk ways to give back this year are those where you volunteer in person in a place where lots of people live, whether that’s a homeless shelter or an assisted living facility. Each carries different risks in terms of acquiring the virus or passing it along. But, as Guest notes, most of these places are being quite careful in terms of their protocol around any outside people (and whether they allow them at all). Even so, it’s still good to check on their practices first. You can also ask if there are other ways your time or money could be even more valuable to them than serving in person.
See people from other households
Whether you usually celebrate Christmas, Festivus, New Year’s, or a birthday this time of year, it’s likely that plans for a get-together will need to be adapted — if not scuttled altogether.
For one, having people from different households together is risky. Before the pandemic, more than 85 percent of Americans planned to attend a gathering with extended family or friends for the holidays. And the average holiday meal included about 11 people.
Now, in many states, that exceeds the limit allowed for private gatherings. (The maximum is 10 or fewer — sometimes as few as five — in many places, including Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, DC. And in some states — including California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, gatherings cannot include people from other households at all.)
Even if your state allows gatherings (decisions that are often made based on a variety of reasons including transmission rates and also political and economic interests), there are good reasons to reconsider get-togethers.
In many places, for example, “you shouldn’t do anything with people you aren’t actively living with [because] there’s so much virus spreading out in the community,” says Lisa Gralinski, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. For example, an area with more than 5 percent of tests coming back positive indicates that there is undocumented community spread. Just two states as of mid-December have test positivity rates below that. Even in those places, she says, “I would encourage people to be incredibly cautious.”
As Lindan notes, it is especially important to “avoid multi-generational gatherings that include older adults and those with pre-disposing health conditions.”
Expected family time might need to be skipped this year. “This may be the year not to invite your young adult children to come home or, conversely, to visit your parents or grandparents,” Lindan writes.
The final Covid-19 caution to remind others of is that this particular virus frequently spreads just before someone develops symptoms (as well as from people who never develop symptoms at all). So feeling fine provides little to no measure of safety.
With these things in mind, here are considerations for different formats of gatherings this season.
Safest: Virtual
It’s hard to pass the dessert when you’re celebrating on Zoom. But it’s also impossible to pass Covid-19.
Althoff said that although she loves visiting her “ginormous” family in Iowa, she won’t be seeing them in person this year. Instead, she is planning to partake in video toasts and virtual game nights with family and friends.
Other ideas include having everyone make the same food or drink to enjoy during the call or playing a game of charades — or even enlisting kids to provide entertainment.
If you’re still considering gathering in person
Whether you’re thinking about gathering with family or friends, assemble all the potential guests virtually first to have an open and detailed conversation about the risks, goals, and ground rules for the get-together, reminding people that everyone is bringing all of their exposures from the previous two weeks to the event, Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, advised in a November press briefing. This call should include naming a point person who will be notified if anyone starts getting symptoms and/or tests positive in the two weeks after the event and who will also call all the other guests to tell them if they need to quarantine and/or get tested, she said. Then there’s one more step to take after the gathering: Quarantine for at least 10 days (or a week if you get a negative test result). This will allow you or anyone else to detect cases of Covid-19 that might have resulted from the gathering and not spread them back out into the community.
Next safest: Small, short, outdoors, distanced, and masked — hold the food and drink
For some, seeing others in person is not something they are willing to hold off on until there is widespread vaccination. So the safest way to do this is by keeping gatherings small, brief, outdoors, distanced, and continuously masked — which means no food and drink.
“Outside is where we want to be if we want to be together,” Guest says. She also recommends keeping it under a total of 10 people — with only one or (if your area permits it) two other households — and keeping everyone separated by household pod.
One caution this time of year is to be mindful of outdoor heaters. They can help extend the outdoor season, but if too many people are crowded around them, that could increase the risk of disease spread. As Guest notes, she bought two heaters for her porch: one for her household and the other, spaced far away, for one couple they see regularly, outdoors.
Moderate risk: Outdoor meal
If eating and/or drinking are non-negotiable, “Consider having tables spaced around outside and people within bubbles or family units seated together,” Lindan writes.
Guest adds that everyone should be masked when they’re not eating or drinking. People should also be mindful of alcohol consumption, she says, as it reduces inhibitions, making people less likely to stick with safety protocols and more likely to revert to pre-pandemic socializing behaviors.
Riskier: Indoors, distanced, and masked — or testing and quarantining
If you decide having people together indoors is the only option, there are several things you can do to decrease the risk of turning your event into a Covid-19 outbreak. Most of the usual advice applies: Ensure people keep their masks on at all times and remain physically distant. Keeping households in different areas “is not perfect,” says Gralinski, “but it’s better than completely intermingling and being right next to each other.”
Keep the event short, and limit the number of people attending. And increase air circulation by opening windows, turning on fans, and cranking on the central AC or heat, Althoff said.
But be forewarned that although a gathering might be set up with the best of plans — distanced seats, open windows, masks — indoor risk is higher than outdoor risk, says Adalja. “Especially if it’s a social gathering with friends or family that [people] feel comfortable around.”
If strict distancing seems like it will be challenging, one option is to have everyone test and quarantine beforehand. It’s not a perfect strategy, but it can decrease risks a bit. Here’s how:
Test: Have everyone get a Covid-19 test before the gathering — and if anyone is traveling, they should test before they make the trip.
Quarantine after testing and before seeing others: This means households should avoid contact with others, including not going to the grocery store, work, or school in person. “Once you test, you need to quarantine as much as possible,” Guest says, so that you don’t then contract the virus in the interim. The CDC is recommending that people traveling should quarantine for at least a week upon arrival — as well as testing again three to five days after traveling.
Now, if everyone is negative, the gathering could proceed with slightly less worry about spreading Covid-19.
Adalja recommends doing some research on testing first. Many places are facing delays returning results, and the American Clinical Laboratory Association has warned of increased stress on testing capacity and shortages of testing equipment ahead of the holidays.
Also, as Adalja points out, “Test results are not ironclad — just look at the White House,” where top-level officials are tested regularly but there have still been numerous outbreaks. And tests are only a snapshot of one point in time and can even return negative results if someone is early on in their infection.
If someone is unable to effectively quarantine upon arrival (say, a young adult who comes home to their parents’ house and cannot remain entirely separate from other household members), the next best option is to at least get everyone tested and attempt as much of a quarantine as possible while awaiting results, says Lindan.
Riskiest: Indoors with few or no precautions
A standard, sit-down indoor meal with anyone outside of your household presents a substantially increased risk of transmitting the virus. Other things that further increase the risk include a large number of people, multiple households, a lengthy gathering, physical closeness — whether that’s people packed into a kitchen cooking together or around a table — limited mask-wearing, and shouting (it was an election year, after all) or singing (hold the holiday songs).
“I would just avoid large gatherings indoors at all costs,” Lindan says. “I know it’s really hard.”
Travel
Traveling during the holidays is usually a little hellish: crowded planes, overheated trains, and gridlocked automobiles. But this year, the specter of Covid-19 makes it that much more daunting.
“Given the rise in cases throughout many parts of the US, the best advice is to avoid travel at this time,” Lindan writes. The CDC has, in fact, asked people to avoid travel.
Travel right now can also get pretty complicated pretty quickly, and not just because you need to pack extra masks and hand sanitizer.
Some 24 states and the District of Columbia have travel advisories or orders — carrying fines of up to $10,000 for violating them — for some or all people to test, quarantine, and/or submit official paperwork if they will be visiting the state for more than 24 hours (i.e., not just traveling through). So that usual week-long visit to see family in California, New York, or Chicago, for example, isn’t going to be as feasible. (Specific guidance is also available through the CDC’s travel planner.) “It might be a logistical nightmare to make sure you’re in compliance,” Adalja said in a November press briefing.
In addition to state or city guidelines for travel, many employers, schools, and day cares are issuing rules about travel, so Althoff advised reviewing those as well. “Be ready to accept abrupt changes to your travel plans.”
If you must travel this winter, there are ways to reduce your risk of catching or spreading the virus. Much of it depends on how you travel.
Safer: Self-contained car trip with your household
In this case, while you’re in the car, you’re just with your pod. But the key is to make it household members only. Expanding the roster to other people vastly increases the risk of this mode of travel, especially since, “If you’re taking a road trip with a bunch of your friends, you’re more likely to be unmasked, and you’re less likely to distance,” Adalja says.
Things to consider along the way: where you’ll eat, where you’ll sleep, and where you’ll make pit stops.
Short pit stops to use a public bathroom should be okay, says Guest — wear your mask and wash and/or sanitize your hands. Some travelers are choosing to bring their own open-air facilities on car trips these days.
“The safest is going to be being self-contained as much as possible,” Gralinski says. For sleeping, that might mean renting a dwelling that you have entirely to yourself to stay in “and bringing as many supplies as you possibly can.” The idea is to minimize contact with others, which includes limiting trips to a local grocery store. For additional food, curbside pickup and drive-through are safest.
What about hotels? A November study in Nature, based on cellphone data of 98 million people in large cities, found that this spring, hotels and motels were fairly large drivers of Covid-19 spread — just below restaurants, gyms, and cafes. (Their data, though, is from March 1 to May 2, a period during which mask mandates and other Covid-19-prevention protocols were just starting.)
Adalja says these days hotels are taking many more precautions and should be fairly safe so long as you’re careful. “It’s not the hotel itself, it’s what you do in the hotel,” he says. So wear a face covering, wash your hands, and avoid other people (for example, skip the elevator, restaurant, bar, and lobby common areas).
For her part, Gralinski said she still avoids hotels. For a fall vacation she and her husband took, they rented a camper to travel in. “We had our own bedroom, our own bathroom, got curbside takeout; we were pretty self-sufficient,” she says. They would park in the driveways of friends’ houses and see them safely from a distance outdoors. Even though it was cold, it worked. “We got to see friends, and it was amazing.”
Moderate risk: Airplane
We still don’t have definitive data on the safety of air travel right now. Many of the studies that looked at airplane risk — which did show cases of transmission — were carried out before masks were required.
Increasing the safety is the fact that masks are now mandated, and planes have very high rates of air circulation — replacing the full air of the cabin with clean air about 20 to 30 times per hour, thus hopefully removing more virus from the air. “The data does show that airline travel is fairly safe right now if people are wearing face coverings,” Adalja says.
But there are other downsides to flying, and they mostly have to do with other people. Namely, you’re in close proximity to a lot of them — even with middle seats empty, as they remain on some, but not all, airlines — and you’re largely at the mercy of their choices. Do they keep their mask on for the entire flight or have it off for long stretches?
Another thing to be mindful of in air travel is that it involves a lot more than just sitting on a plane. ”It’s the whole experience,” Althoff says, including airport shuttles, lines, lots of high-touch surfaces, and people mingling from all over the country, including areas with very high rates of transmission. If you’re going to be in an airport, she advises to “practice your statement about how you will remind a stranger to maintain a distance.”
Also, be prepared to remind people about masks. In airports and even in airplanes, “insouciant mask-wearing — by having them dangle from earlobes or positioned under the nose — still seems to happen,” Lindan says. “Don’t be afraid to ask people to put on their masks when in the airport.”
How can you lower your risk if you do decide to fly? Wear not only a good mask but also eye protection, such as sunglasses, safety glasses, goggles, or a face shield (with a mask), says Guest. Also, you can check to see if a flight will serve snacks or beverages. This used to be a perk, but these things now up the odds of virus transmission as people remove their masks to eat or drink, so if possible you might want to avoid a flight with food and drink services. “If you need to eat or drink something on a plane, do so when other people are not eating,” Lindan writes. “Keep your mask on, and only lift it up to insert food or drink into your mouth.”
Slightly riskier: Train
There has been even less research on train travel than on plane travel. A study from passenger trains in China relatively early in the pandemic — mid-December 2019 through early March 2020 — found Covid-19 spread fairly easily to nearby passengers on these trips, especially if people were in close proximity for more than three hours. Based on these findings, which were published over the summer, the authors suggested physical distancing, mask-wearing, and improved air filtration would lower the rate of spread on trains.
These are all steps Amtrak has instituted, along with enhanced cleaning and other measures. Trains also have the advantage of generally having fewer passengers per square foot than planes, and you might be more able to get away from someone who is not following the rules or appears ill. (Amtrak also offers private rooms on some trains.)
However, experts we spoke with suggested it might still be slightly riskier than air travel. This is in part because distance train trips are more likely to be longer than a typical domestic flight, increasing your exposure time to others. Train cars also don’t quite have the same rate of air replacement as an airplane cabin — Amtrak is promising clean air exchange 12 to 15 times an hour.
Like airports, there are also train stations to contend with — and there might be even less enforcement of rules, as they are typically more open to the public (rather than the majority of airport space being behind TSA checkpoint screening).
Riskiest: Long-haul bus
We also don’t have a lot of solid scientific information about the risk of Covid-19 transmission on long-haul buses. But early research suggests this mode of travel could be riskier than planes or trains, especially when people aren’t taking proper precautions. One case study showed how a single sick passenger on a bus in China infected 23 of 67 others on a drive that was less than an hour. Of note, though, is that in this superspreading event, which occurred in January 2020, none of the passengers were wearing masks, and the bus was recirculating air.
Bus companies in the US have updated safety protocols to help reduce spread of the virus. Greyhound, for example, requires face masks, has upped cleaning and sanitizing of its buses, replaces the bus air about 12 times per hour, and is “encouraging” passengers to physically distance.
Epidemiologists, however, are still warier of bus travel over other modes of transport right now. “It might be harder on a longer ride to keep your mask on, and it’s probably not as enforced as it is on an airplane,” Adalja says.
Keep kids occupied
Outside, outside, and mostly outside is what experts say as a general rule for kid activities this winter. To that end, if you live in a colder climate, it’s an important year to make sure you have warm outdoor gear that fits your kids well.
That said, there are some caveats to this guidance. Not all outdoor activities are created equal, and there could be some indoor ones that, if done responsibly, could carry slightly less risk. It’s also important to remember that “the virus survives longer in the winter due to the lower temperature and lower humidity, resulting in increased risk of transmission in winter compared to summer,” Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious disease at the UC Davis Children’s Hospital, writes in an email to Vox.
Safest: Activity with only household members
The activities that carry the lowest risk of Covid-19 for kids are the same as adults: avoiding exposure to anyone outside the household, whether it’s indoors or out.
This could mean there’s more screen time this winter — including those video calls with family and friends. Or time offline doing crafts (particularly to give to people you cannot see in person) or house projects, such as cleaning out old toys and clothing to donate. Or bundling up for outdoor activities away from other households, such as exploring quiet parks, hiking, biking, or sledding.
Moderate: Quiet indoor activity with masks and distancing
What about all of those museums and movie theaters that were key — especially during long school breaks — in the Before Times? “If you’re going to a kids museum where you’re restricting the number of people, and everybody’s wearing a mask and hand-washing, and they have good air filtration, that’s probably okay,” Lindan says.
Adalja agrees. Even though a museum is indoors, “if they’re distanced and wearing masks, that becomes an obstacle that’s harder for the virus to overcome.”
That said, some experts caution that other indoor activities — even though they might seem to have similar precautions — carry higher risk, especially if local case numbers are high. “If there is increased transmission in your community, then an indoor activity like a movie theater is risky,” noted Blumberg. “There may be compromising of social distancing in common areas, such as corridors and bathrooms, and people may not be masking at all times as they sip their soda or snack.”
Riskier: Busy outdoor activity with intermittent distancing and masking
According to the experts we spoke with, a busy playground might bring higher risk of Covid-19 transmission than a quiet indoor activity in which all of the best protocols are being followed.
For example, “playgrounds — those are not ever going to be without risk,” Adalja says. Not all kids are diligent about wearing their masks, surfaces are very high-touch, and it’s essentially impossible to keep children physically distanced. “That’s a risk where you have to make an individual risk calculation,” he says.
Also, outdoor sports in which kids come into contact with one another increase the risk of transmission, as could crowded outdoor events or activities, especially those where people do not always have their masks on (such as for eating or drinking).
Riskiest: Close activities indoors with others
Families are all having to make the best decisions for themselves. And keeping kids isolated from others, especially on school breaks or when schools are remote, is not always feasible.
Adalja suggests some things families can do to lower the risk in these situations. Continue to avoid any crowded indoor spaces where you will come into contact with other households. Instead, work with another family or two (if permitted in your locality) to establish a small, closed group of children for in-person visits, ensuring everyone is comfortable with each household’s risks and behavior, and insist on hand-washing.
“The whole thing is about weighing risks and benefits,” he says. “Children playing is crucial for psychosocial development. It is a balancing act.” But high levels of community transmission can tip those scales and make in-person activities with friends too risky for many. And any time group visits can be outdoors, that will help lower the risk.
A call for a new perspective
We have an opportunity, through our actions, to make a real impact on the spread of the pandemic — not just among our own circles but in the broader community. This has important implications for health justice and equity because when the virus spreads, it is more likely to hit and cause greater harm to essential workers, their families, and people of color.
“Our epidemic is only going to recede if people take the appropriate precautions,” Lindan writes to Vox. “The problem is that we just do not want to do what we have to do.”
So this winter will take some acceptance, perseverance, and perspective.
How are epidemiologists putting this difficult season into perspective for themselves? For one, by “acknowledging that this is hard and that the holidays of 2020 are going to look much different,” Guest says. “We need to be cautious and protect each other now so that when we do get together [in the future] everyone we care about is there. It’s important to keep that in mind so that these sacrifices now feel like they’re worth it.”
Lindan agrees. “It’s really difficult over the holidays. We want to see our family and friends, and it’s a really difficult task not to after living this way for so long. But it’s a small price to pay for the long-term benefit.”
And as Althoff reminds us, “We will be telling stories from these holidays for generations to come.” It’s largely in our control to make them the right ones.
Katherine Harmon Courage is a freelance science journalist and author of Cultured and and Octopus! Find her on Twitter at @KHCourage.


vox--2020-12-23--Alex Trebek’s last episode of Jeopardy will now air in January

Alex Trebek ’ s last episode of Jeopardy will air on January 8 , bringing the beloved host ’ s tenure on the iconic game show to an end after more than three decades .
Trebek was filming in the Jeopardy studio through late October , not long before his death at age 80 on November 8 .
Because the game show is produced with a relatively long lead time , new episodes featuring Trebek have continued to air posthumously .
His final episode was originally slated to air on Christmas Day ; however , the show is now closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his best episodes , ” which kicked off on December 21 .
The host ’ s last week of episodes has been rescheduled to run from Monday , January 4 through Friday , January 8 , 2021 .
Trebek took over as Jeopardy host in 1984 , when a revived version of the classic show premiered .
( The original version of Jeopardy , hosted by the actor Art Fleming , ran from 1964 to 1979 , airing every weekday afternoon on NBC . )
Trebek went on to become one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was intent on continuing to stay that way for as long as possible , while keeping an eye on both his age and his health .
In 2019 , Trebek revealed to the public that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer .
But he remained on the job as much as he could while pursuing aggressive treatment , adamant that he did not want to leave Jeopardy in light of his diagnosis .
Speaking to reporters at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in January 2020 , Trebek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ producers that he was stepping away from the series on the day he taped his final program .
“ I made this decision a long time ago .
What I would do , it would be the same as when I shaved my mustache .
I would do it on a whim , ” Trebek said .
“ On that particular day , I will speak to Harry [ Friedman , executive producer ] , and I will speak to Clay [ Jacobsen ] , our director , and tell them , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the program .
That ’ s all I need to say goodbye , because it ’ s going to be the last show.
’ ” The beloved TV personality received immense public support in his decision to continue hosting Jeopardy , including from contestants .
One memorable episode that aired in the fall of 2019 ended with a contestant writing “ We love you , Alex !
” as their Final Jeopardy response .
Trebek responded to the message with tearful gratitude .
We don ’ t know exactly what to expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeopardy , or whether he was able to follow through with his plan to end his reign with a surprise on-air goodbye .
( According to TVLine , Trebek did deliver at least one heartfelt speech that has yet to air . )
No matter what those episodes hold , Trebek will always be an inextricable part of Jeopardy ’ s legacy , and a huge reason why Jeopardy is an inextricable part of weeknight TV .
Update December 23 : Trebek ’ s final episode of Jeopardy was originally scheduled to air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescheduled for early January .
We have updated this story to reflect that change .

Alex Trebek’s last episode of Jeopardy will air on January 8, bringing the beloved host’s tenure on the iconic game show to an end after more than three decades.
Trebek was filming in the Jeopardy studio through late October, not long before his death at age 80 on November 8. Because the game show is produced with a relatively long lead time, new episodes featuring Trebek have continued to air posthumously. His final episode was originally slated to air on Christmas Day; however, the show is now closing out the year with “10 of his best episodes,” which kicked off on December 21. The host’s last week of episodes has been rescheduled to run from Monday, January 4, through Friday, January 8, 2021.
Trebek took over as Jeopardy host in 1984, when a revived version of the classic show premiered. (The original version of Jeopardy, hosted by the actor Art Fleming, ran from 1964 to 1979, airing every weekday afternoon on NBC.) Trebek went on to become one of the most familiar faces on American television, and was intent on continuing to stay that way for as long as possible, while keeping an eye on both his age and his health.
In 2019, Trebek revealed to the public that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. But he remained on the job as much as he could while pursuing aggressive treatment, adamant that he did not want to leave Jeopardy in light of his diagnosis.
Speaking to reporters at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in January 2020, Trebek said he planned to only inform his producers that he was stepping away from the series on the day he taped his final program.
“I made this decision a long time ago. What I would do, it would be the same as when I shaved my mustache. I would do it on a whim,” Trebek said. “On that particular day, I will speak to Harry [Friedman, executive producer], and I will speak to Clay [Jacobsen], our director, and tell them, ‘Give me 30 seconds at the end of the program. That’s all I need to say goodbye, because it’s going to be the last show.’”
The beloved TV personality received immense public support in his decision to continue hosting Jeopardy, including from contestants. One memorable episode that aired in the fall of 2019 ended with a contestant writing “We love you, Alex!” as their Final Jeopardy response. Trebek responded to the message with tearful gratitude.
We don’t know exactly what to expect from Trebek’s final episodes of Jeopardy, or whether he was able to follow through with his plan to end his reign with a surprise on-air goodbye. (According to TVLine, Trebek did deliver at least one heartfelt speech that has yet to air.) No matter what those episodes hold, Trebek will always be an inextricable part of Jeopardy’s legacy, and a huge reason why Jeopardy is an inextricable part of weeknight TV.
Update December 23: Trebek’s final episode of Jeopardy was originally scheduled to air on Christmas Day. It was later rescheduled for early January. We have updated this story to reflect that change.


vox--2020-12-23--RSVP now to talk Gideon the Ninth with Tamsyn Muir and the Vox Book Club

The Vox Book Club is linking to Bookshop.org to support local and independent booksellers .
To make it through this long , hard winter , the Vox Book Club is reading a pair of delightful novels about lesbian necromancers in space .
Together , Gideon the Ninth ( our December pick ) and Harrow the Ninth ( our January pick ) make up one of the most fun and absorbing reading experiences I ’ ve had in a long , long time .
They ’ ve got rich and velvety prose , a twisty and complicated mythology , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So far , we ’ ve started talking through some of the remixed genre tropes of Gideon the Ninth , and we ’ ll tackle Harrow the Ninth on January 15 .
After that , our discussion of both books will culminate in a conversation with author Tamsyn Muir herself , live on Zoom at the end of January .
And you can join !
We ’ ll be meeting Muir for a live discussion at 12 pm Eastern on Thursday , January 28 .
( If you ’ ve attended one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be used to them starting at 5 pm Eastern , so note that this one will be a lunchtime event . )
We ’ ll chat for about 45 minutes , and audience questions are encouraged .
You can RSVP right here , and in the meantime , subscribe to our Vox Book Club newsletter to make sure you don ’ t miss anything .

The Vox Book Club is linking to Bookshop.org to support local and independent booksellers.
To make it through this long, hard winter, the Vox Book Club is reading a pair of delightful novels about lesbian necromancers in space. Together, Gideon the Ninth (our December pick) and Harrow the Ninth (our January pick) make up one of the most fun and absorbing reading experiences I’ve had in a long, long time. They’ve got rich and velvety prose, a twisty and complicated mythology, and a deeply shippable love story at their center.
So far, we’ve started talking through some of the remixed genre tropes of Gideon the Ninth, and we’ll tackle Harrow the Ninth on January 15. After that, our discussion of both books will culminate in a conversation with author Tamsyn Muir herself, live on Zoom at the end of January. And you can join!
We’ll be meeting Muir for a live discussion at 12 pm Eastern on Thursday, January 28. (If you’ve attended one of our live events before, you might be used to them starting at 5 pm Eastern, so note that this one will be a lunchtime event.) We’ll chat for about 45 minutes, and audience questions are encouraged. You can RSVP right here, and in the meantime, subscribe to our Vox Book Club newsletter to make sure you don’t miss anything.


vox--2020-12-23--The Apple car, briefly explained

The Apple car, briefly explained

The long-rumored , long-dead Apple car may have been resurrected .
Reuters reports that Apple is planning to start production of its own line of electric cars with pioneering battery technology in 2024 .
Apple has not confirmed the report , but investors took the news seriously enough to send Tesla ’ s already volatile stock into a dip .
Apple has been trying to get a car project rolling for years with little public success so far — which makes the prospect of it actually producing its own car by 2024 no sure thing .
That said , building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process that will always take time , especially if the company behind it is hoping to incorporate new technology into the project .
Apple , being Apple , almost surely will want to do this .
The company has always been interested in doing its own thing , from its operating system to , most recently , its M1 chips .
Also , it ’ s Apple , one of the richest and most innovative companies in the world .
Never count Apple out .
We first learned of a possible Apple car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journal reported that the company was trying to build a Tesla competitor .
The project , dubbed “ Titan , ” was approved by CEO Tim Cook about a year earlier , the paper said .
But Apple car plans may date back much earlier : Founder Steve Jobs reportedly considered building a car in 2008 .
The plan then was to build an electric car as opposed to creating a self-driving one , which is what Google and Uber were trying to do at the time .
While it would take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually get a car on the road , Apple had plenty of both , according to the report .
About 1,000 people were said to be working on the project .
Apple declined to comment on the story .
By the end of 2016 , however , it seemed that Apple had shifted from making its own cars to making self-driving technology that would be used in other manufacturers ’ cars , and hundreds of people left the project .
Even so , it had apparently already yielded some results : The New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ number of fully autonomous vehicles in the middle of testing , using limited operating routes in a closed environment.
” There was also some hard evidence that something automotive was in the works at Apple .
In 2017 , the company got a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test self-driving on public roads in the state .
Cook also said that the company was working on autonomous driving software around this time .
And in 2018 , an Apple test car ( made by Lexus ) was rear-ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human ) , offering further proof that Apple was still doing something in the space .
But an actual car produced by Apple seemed increasingly unlikely though not completely out of the question .
Meanwhile , Apple had yet to confirm it was working on an actual car .
At the beginning of 2019 , it looked like Project Titan , whatever it was , was on the brink of death .
Apple laid off 200 people on the Titan team in January , but in June , it acquired a struggling autonomous-driving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still going .
Other than that , it seemed as though the company ’ s interest in self-driving technology was waning ; its test cars logged far fewer miles in 2019 than in 2018 .
While there have been reports throughout 2020 that indicate that Apple has revived plans to produce its own cars — the rumor blog Apple Insider has dutifully cataloged patents filed by the company for everything from motors to self-tinting windows — the latest Reuters report is perhaps the most definitive yet .
It also says that Apple will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own cars , marrying the two phases of Project Titan into one product that could be on the road within five years .
And , according to Reuters , Apple is hoping to bring something new to the table with a battery design that will make electric car batteries cheaper and last longer .
One person involved in the project described the battery technology as “ next level.
” Apple ’ s focus on battery design makes a lot of sense given Apple ’ s work on improving batteries in its existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the technology Apple hopes to incorporate into Project Titan now ; the iPhone 12 Pros and iPad Pros come with lidar sensors , which self-driving cars use to map out their surroundings and detect nearby objects .
The report , though unconfirmed , had an impact , even as some analysts seemed unconvinced that a car will actually happen .
Lidar stocks soared , and Apple got a bump as well .
Tesla , which would likely be the Apple car ’ s biggest competition , had a bad few days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand , didn ’ t seem too thrown by the report .
He also admitted that he tried to sell Tesla to Apple , but Cook wasn ’ t interested .
Of course , any report about Apple ’ s future comes with plenty of caveats and little certainty , as demonstrated by the car ’ s path up to this point .
But there does appear to at least be a path now .
Now we ’ ll see if anything drives down it .
As it has all along , Apple @ @ @ @

The long-rumored Apple car is looking more possible than ever: CEO Tim Cook just made his most definitive (and, in keeping with Apple’s usual strategy, not very definitive at all) statements to date that Apple is making its own car filled with Apple technology.
In an interview with the New York Times’s Kara Swisher, Cook said autonomous technology was “core,” and that he viewed an autonomous car as a robot. This is consistent with his statements in 2017 that Apple was focused on autonomous systems. But he was “coy” — his words — about if that technology would go in a car made by Apple.
“We love to integrate hardware, software, and services, and find the intersection points of those because we think that’s where the magic occurs,” Cook said. “And so that’s what we love to do. And we love to own the primary technology that’s around that.”
As Swisher pointed out, Apple likes to own and make the hardware it puts its tech in, rather than license it out to other companies to make, like Google does with its Android OS.
And Apple is reportedly talking to auto manufacturers about building a fully autonomous electric car in the next few years. The latest rumors, courtesy of CNBC, had Apple and Hyundai “close to finalizing” a deal to build the cars at a Kia plant in Georgia. They would be Apple’s own brand of cars, and the partnership would give Apple a factory ready to start building cars by 2024, rather than requiring the company to take a considerably longer time (and more money) to build one from the ground up. But a later Bloomberg report said Apple’s talks with Hyundai actually ended weeks ago without a deal.
Apple has not confirmed any of these reports, which has been the company’s standard procedure with its long-brewing car project.
Apple has been trying to get a car rolling for years with little public success. The prospect of the company actually producing its own car by 2024 is no sure thing, but the talks with Hyundai, despite coming to nothing, certainly make it seem more possible than ever before — as do Cook’s recent comments. That said, building a new car line is a long, daunting process, especially if the company behind it is hoping to incorporate new technology into the project. Apple, being Apple, almost surely will want to do this. The company has always been interested in doing its own thing, from its operating system to, most recently, its M1 MacBook chips.
Also, it’s Apple, one of the richest and most innovative companies in the world. Never count Apple out.
We first learned of a possible Apple car in early 2015 when the Wall Street Journal reported that the company was trying to build a Tesla competitor. The project, dubbed “Titan,” was approved by CEO Tim Cook about a year earlier, the paper said. But Apple car plans may date back much earlier: founder Steve Jobs reportedly considered building a car in 2008. The plan then was to build an electric car as opposed to creating a self-driving one, which is what Google and Uber were trying to do at the time. While it would take a considerable amount of time and money to actually get a car on the road, Apple had plenty of both, according to the report. About 1,000 people were said to be working on the project. Apple declined to comment on the story.
By the end of 2016, however, it seemed that Apple had shifted from making its own cars to making self-driving technology to be used in other manufacturers’ cars. But talks with BMW and Mercedes-Benz as manufacturing partners collapsed, and hundreds of people left the project. Even so, it had apparently already yielded some results: The New York Times reported that Apple had a “number of fully autonomous vehicles in the middle of testing, using limited operating routes in a closed environment.”
There was also some hard evidence that something automotive was in the works at Apple. In 2017, the company got a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test self-driving on public roads in the state. Because it was pretty much undeniable, Cook admitted that the company was working on autonomous driving software around that time. And in 2018, an Apple test car (made by Lexus) was rear-ended by another car (driven by a human), offering further proof that Apple was still doing something in the space. But an actual car produced by Apple seemed increasingly unlikely, if not completely out of the question. Meanwhile, Apple had yet to confirm it was working on an actual car.
At the beginning of 2019, it looked like Project Titan, whatever it was, was on the brink of death. Apple laid off 200 people on the Titan team in January, but in June, it acquired a struggling autonomous-driving startup, renewing hopes that Titan was still going. Other than that, it seemed as though the company’s interest in self-driving technology was waning; its test cars logged far fewer miles in 2019 than in 2018.
While there were reports throughout 2020 that indicated Apple has revived plans to produce its own cars — the rumor blog Apple Insider has dutifully cataloged patents filed by the company for everything from motors to self-tinting windows — a December report by Reuters was a definitive sign. The report said that Apple will use its own self-driving technology and build its own cars, marrying the two phases of Project Titan into one product. CNBC echoed this, quoting a source who said that the car was “designed to operate without a driver.” This, CNBC said, could indicate that the Apple car’s first customers will be food delivery services and self-driving taxis — not the general public. So don’t start saving up for an Apple car just yet.
And, according to Reuters, Apple is hoping to bring something new to the table with a battery design that will make electric car batteries cheaper and last longer. One person involved in the project described the battery technology as “next level.” Apple’s focus on battery design makes a lot of sense, given Apple’s work on improving batteries in its existing products. We may be seeing some of the technology Apple hopes to incorporate into Project Titan now; the iPhone 12 Pros and iPad Pros come with LiDAR sensors, which self-driving cars use to map out their surroundings and detect nearby objects.
The auto industry has continued to slowly push into the electric and autonomous car markets. But the Apple car looks like a threat to Elon Musk’s Tesla, perhaps more than any other carmaker at this point (Apple has even made a habit out of poaching Tesla employees), though Musk hasn’t seemed too thrown by the possibility. He did, however, admit that he tried to sell Tesla to Apple, but Cook wasn’t interested.
During the darkest days of the Model 3 program, I reached out to Tim Cook to discuss the possibility of Apple acquiring Tesla (for 1/10 of our current value). He refused to take the meeting. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 22, 2020
Cook also commented on this claim, neither confirming nor denying it:
“I’ve never spoken to Elon, although I have great admiration and respect for the company he’s built,” Cook told the New York Times. “I think Tesla has done an unbelievable job of not only establishing the lead, but keeping the lead for such a long period of time in the EV space.”
If Apple does build that car, Tesla’s lead might not last too much longer.
Of course, any report about Apple’s future comes with plenty of caveats and little certainty, as demonstrated by the car’s path up to this point. But there does appear to at least be a path. Now we’ll see if anything drives down it.


vox--2020-12-23--Trump vetoes military spending bill, potentially setting up first veto override of his presidency

President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed a massive $ 741 billion military spending bill , which could lead to the first congressional override of a presidential veto during Trump ’ s time in the Oval Office .
Trump has been criticizing the National Defense Authorization Act ( NDAA ) for a while now .
As Alex Ward explained for Vox : First , President Donald Trump threatened to veto the annual defense bill because lawmakers wanted the names of Confederate generals removed from US Army bases .
Then , he said he ’ d torpedo the bipartisan legislation unless it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to spew conspiracy theories on the internet unchallenged .
And on Sunday , he pledged to block the bill because it ’ s not tough enough on China , despite it having what one Democratic Congressional aide described to me as “ the strongest provisions ever to address the rising power.
” Democratic and Republican members of Congress have pushed back against Trump ’ s criticisms .
They ’ ve argued that removing the names of Confederate generals is simply the right thing to do given the broader push to recognize and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said that the internet free-speech law that Trump wants repealed is unrelated to a spending bill dealing with the military .
( For more on the arguments around this , read Vox ’ s explainer . )
“ It ’ s unconscionable that the President would choose to throw a wrench into the passage of a bill as critical as our nation ’ s annual defense bill , ” Sen. Mark Warner ( D-VA ) said in a statement .
“ The NDAA has become law every year for 59 years straight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our national security and our troops , ” Sen. Jim Inhofe ( R-OK ) said in a statement .
“ This year must not be an exception.
” According to the New York Times , the House will likely convene to consider a veto override on Monday , and the Senate could do so on Tuesday .
Two-thirds of each chamber must vote in favor of the override for it to succeed , and more than two-thirds in each chamber voted for the bill to pass it through Congress .
Veto overrides are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of vetoes historically overridden .
This would be the first override since Trump became president .

President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed a massive $741 billion military spending bill, which could lead to the first congressional override of a presidential veto during Trump’s time in the Oval Office.
Trump has been criticizing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for a while now. As Alex Ward explained for Vox:
First, President Donald Trump threatened to veto the annual defense bill because lawmakers wanted the names of Confederate generals removed from US Army bases. Then, he said he’d torpedo the bipartisan legislation unless it repealed an internet free-speech law, allowing him to spew conspiracy theories on the internet unchallenged. And on Sunday, he pledged to block the bill because it’s not tough enough on China, despite it having what one Democratic Congressional aide described to me as “the strongest provisions ever to address the rising power.”
Trump cited similar concerns on Wednesday.
Democratic and Republican members of Congress have pushed back against Trump’s criticisms. They’ve argued that removing the names of Confederate generals is simply the right thing to do given the broader push to recognize and address systemic racism. They’ve also said that the internet free-speech law that Trump wants repealed is unrelated to a spending bill dealing with the military. (For more on the arguments around this, read Vox’s explainer.)
“It’s unconscionable that the President would choose to throw a wrench into the passage of a bill as critical as our nation’s annual defense bill,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) said in a statement.
“The NDAA has become law every year for 59 years straight because it’s absolutely vital to our national security and our troops,” Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) said in a statement. “This year must not be an exception.”
According to the New York Times, the House will likely convene to consider a veto override on Monday, and the Senate could do so on Tuesday. Two-thirds of each chamber must vote in favor of the override for it to succeed, and more than two-thirds in each chamber voted for the bill to pass it through Congress.
Veto overrides are very rare, with fewer than 10 percent of vetoes historically overridden. This would be the first override since Trump became president.


vox--2020-12-23--The best Christmas movies aren't about Christmas

It ’ s late December , which means it ’ s time for TV networks to haul out and rerun holiday standards .
But what if you 're not in the mood for the kinds of holiday cheer whipped up by A Christmas Story or It ’ s a Wonderful Life ?
What if you want to celebrate the season with something a little less filled with joy , something set during the season but not really of the season ?
Well , have you considered something Christmas-adjacent ?
The term , which I first encountered in this essay on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means a story that is set , at least in part , during the holiday season but is not dominated by said holidays .
It can be an action movie or a horror film .
It can even be a downbeat drama .
Anything but the usual blast of merrymaking .
Here , then , are nine Christmas-adjacent films that might help you get in the holiday spirit ... but not too much .
Writer/director Billy Wilder ’ s classic comedy about a man who finds himself embroiled in something awful in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wonderful look at early 1960s gender politics that won the Oscar for Best Picture .
Jack Lemmon is terrific in the lead role , and Shirley MacLaine is a wonderfully winsome romantic interest .
Plus , the movie ’ s plot intersects with both Christmas and New Year ’ s , so you get two holidays for the price of one .
Director Tim Burton often sets his films at Christmastime .
( See also : Edward Scissorhands . )
But this slice of baroque genius , the follow-up to 1989 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect film for anyone who wants to examine something a bit more macabre as the season settles in .
Its dark , wintry atmosphere is just about perfect for those getting in the seasonal mood .
Weirdly , a lot of action movies are set at Christmas , no matter how incongruous that might seem .
Blame action screenwriter and director Shane Black , the man responsible for the Lethal Weapon script and the director of films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3 , who loves to set his films @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence clearly spread to other filmmakers , including those who made Die Hard .
This classic action romp , which sees John McClane ( Bruce Willis ) take down a bunch of terrorists to protect his family — all on Christmas Eve — proves why gunfire and Christmas go together so very well .
Ho , ho , ho !
Fanny and Alexander falls into the “ films that aren ’ t about the holidays but have holiday scenes in them ” category .
Swedish director Ingmar Bergman ’ s very loose portrayal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ childhood was originally a TV miniseries but retains the feel of an epic in its feature film format , along with one of the most festive , joyous Christmas scenes in all of film .
The early-20th-century feast will almost certainly delight .
There have been a surprising number of horror films set at Christmastime , but Gremlins is one of the few that plays as almost gruesomely festive .
Joe Dante ’ s elaborate skewering of greeting-card-cover America unleashes a bunch of tiny monsters in the perfect small town as the holidays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , goofy , and glorious , and it will ensure you never look at a fireplace quite the same way .
Including Meet Me in St. Louis on this list is probably cheating , since it ’ s the film that actually spawned the song “ Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
” It also has a significant portion of its running time set at a Christmas Eve ball .
But the movie wonderfully captures the slow turn of the seasons — the way that summer becomes fall becomes winter — and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
( It ’ s set in St. Louis in 1904 . )
Maybe too much of it is set at Christmas to really qualify as Christmas-adjacent , but it ’ s still worth seeing anyway .
This is the movie to watch if you have absolutely no wish to engage in holiday cheer .
A young woman arrives home on Christmas morning to find that her boyfriend has died by suicide .
She drifts through the rest of the film in a kind of haze that , nevertheless , makes it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more alive for having been so closely touched by death .
Morvern Callar isn ’ t for everyone , but Samantha Morton ’ s lead performance is phenomenal , and the subject matter is decidedly not the typical Christmas movie plot .
Though the closest The Royal Tenenbaums comes to actually saying it ’ s set during the holidays is one scene featuring “ Christmastime Is Here ” from A Charlie Brown Christmas on the soundtrack , it ’ s one of the wintriest films out there , thanks to its gray skies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just when they need to most .
Plus , Mark Mothersbaugh ’ s score gives it a decidedly holiday feel , with its frequent sleigh bells and children ’ s choir oohing away .
Maybe what you need this holiday season is a devilishly clever mystery with even more devilishly clever screwball dialogue .
In that case , can I suggest the adventures of dashingly sophisticated married sleuths Nick and Nora Charles ?
It ’ s easy to forget The Thin Man is set at Christmastime , given how fun it is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and around a Christmas Eve party thrown by the Charleses , and that setting adds just the right mood to a mystery that ’ s as much fun as unwrapping presents .

It’s late December, which means it’s time for TV networks to haul out and rerun holiday standards. But what if you're not in the mood for the kinds of holiday cheer whipped up by A Christmas Story or It’s a Wonderful Life? What if you want to celebrate the season with something a little less filled with joy, something set during the season but not really of the season?
Well, have you considered something Christmas-adjacent? The term, which I first encountered in this essay on Die Hard by Zack Handlen, simply means a story that is set, at least in part, during the holiday season but is not dominated by said holidays. It can be an action movie or a horror film. It can even be a downbeat drama. Anything but the usual blast of merrymaking.
Here, then, are nine Christmas-adjacent films that might help you get in the holiday spirit ... but not too much.
The Apartment
Writer/director Billy Wilder’s classic comedy about a man who finds himself embroiled in something awful in an attempt to get ahead at work is a wonderful look at early 1960s gender politics that won the Oscar for Best Picture. Jack Lemmon is terrific in the lead role, and Shirley MacLaine is a wonderfully winsome romantic interest. Plus, the movie’s plot intersects with both Christmas and New Year’s, so you get two holidays for the price of one.
Batman Returns
Director Tim Burton often sets his films at Christmastime. (See also: Edward Scissorhands.) But this slice of baroque genius, the follow-up to 1989’s megahit Batman, is positively the perfect film for anyone who wants to examine something a bit more macabre as the season settles in. Its dark, wintry atmosphere is just about perfect for those getting in the seasonal mood.
Die Hard
Weirdly, a lot of action movies are set at Christmas, no matter how incongruous that might seem. Blame action screenwriter and director Shane Black, the man responsible for the Lethal Weapon script and the director of films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3, who loves to set his films around the holiday. Black’s influence clearly spread to other filmmakers, including those who made Die Hard. This classic action romp, which sees John McClane (Bruce Willis) take down a bunch of terrorists to protect his family — all on Christmas Eve — proves why gunfire and Christmas go together so very well. Ho, ho, ho!
Fanny and Alexander
Fanny and Alexander falls into the “films that aren’t about the holidays but have holiday scenes in them” category. Swedish director Ingmar Bergman’s very loose portrayal of his and his sister’s childhood was originally a TV miniseries but retains the feel of an epic in its feature film format, along with one of the most festive, joyous Christmas scenes in all of film. The early-20th-century feast will almost certainly delight.
Gremlins
There have been a surprising number of horror films set at Christmastime, but Gremlins is one of the few that plays as almost gruesomely festive. Joe Dante’s elaborate skewering of greeting-card-cover America unleashes a bunch of tiny monsters in the perfect small town as the holidays settle in. It’s gory, goofy, and glorious, and it will ensure you never look at a fireplace quite the same way.
Meet Me in St. Louis
Including Meet Me in St. Louis on this list is probably cheating, since it’s the film that actually spawned the song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” It also has a significant portion of its running time set at a Christmas Eve ball. But the movie wonderfully captures the slow turn of the seasons — the way that summer becomes fall becomes winter — and it has a great eye for time and place. (It’s set in St. Louis in 1904.) Maybe too much of it is set at Christmas to really qualify as Christmas-adjacent, but it’s still worth seeing anyway.
Morvern Callar
This is the movie to watch if you have absolutely no wish to engage in holiday cheer. A young woman arrives home on Christmas morning to find that her boyfriend has died by suicide. She drifts through the rest of the film in a kind of haze that, nevertheless, makes it seem as though she’s almost more alive for having been so closely touched by death. Morvern Callar isn’t for everyone, but Samantha Morton’s lead performance is phenomenal, and the subject matter is decidedly not the typical Christmas movie plot.
The Royal Tenenbaums
Though the closest The Royal Tenenbaums comes to actually saying it’s set during the holidays is one scene featuring “Christmastime Is Here” from A Charlie Brown Christmas on the soundtrack, it’s one of the wintriest films out there, thanks to its gray skies and story of a family coming together just when they need to most. Plus, Mark Mothersbaugh’s score gives it a decidedly holiday feel, with its frequent sleigh bells and children’s choir oohing away.
The Thin Man
Maybe what you need this holiday season is a devilishly clever mystery with even more devilishly clever screwball dialogue. In that case, can I suggest the adventures of dashingly sophisticated married sleuths Nick and Nora Charles? It’s easy to forget The Thin Man is set at Christmastime, given how fun it is, but much of it takes place in and around a Christmas Eve party thrown by the Charleses, and that setting adds just the right mood to a mystery that’s as much fun as unwrapping presents.