Dear Readers: At Thanksgiving, families come together to celebrate, but this year COVID-19 has caused us to be cautious about who we come in contact with. So the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.CDC.gov) has come out with the following suggestions for a safe Thanksgiving celebration:

LOW RISK

— Having a small dinner with only people who live in your home.

— Safe delivery of foods to neighbors and homebound folks that doesn’t involve contact.

— Virtual dinner and sharing recipes and stories with friends and family.

— Shopping online instead of in person on the days after Thanksgiving.

— Watching football, movies and parades on TV at home.

MODERATE RISK

— Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends from the neighborhood.

— Visiting a pumpkin patch or apple orchard using hand sanitizers and masks.

— Attending small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place.

HIGHER RISK

(Avoid high risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus.)

— Shopping in crowded stores just before, on or after Thanksgiving.

— Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race.

— Attending a crowded parade.

— Going to large indoor gatherings with people not in your family.

— Drinking alcohol or taking drugs, which can impede judgment and lead to risky behavior.

Stay vigilant and stay healthy during this holiday season. — Heloise

BE PREPARED ANYWHERE

Dear Heloise: I was traveling last week, and there was a group of kids hanging out in the parking lot of the hotel I was staying in. They made me nervous. I was glad that I had looked up the non-emergency number of the police in the city I was visiting before I left on my trip. I called them and told them of my concern. They could not have been nicer, and they sent an officer by and presumably told the kids not to loiter in the parking lot, and the kids left the area.

It saved time having this number handy. — Justine in Ohio

SLIP ON OVER

Dear Heloise: I have found that by using a king-size satin-like (slippery) pillowcase under my bum in bed allows me to turn over so much easier. It is especially good for anyone who may have nerve pain in their back, hips, legs, etc. It has been a godsend for me. I hope this helps someone else. — Peg, Port Charlotte, Fla.

DON’T GO EMPTY-HANDED

Dear Heloise: Yes, I remember your mother’s advice. I’m 84 and have always read her column (and yours).

You wrote recently in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle about quick cleanups. What I say is “never go empty-handed.” If you’re leaving a room, pick up and take with you anything that’s out of place. My grandmother’s favorite saying was “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Between the two of them (and you, too), my home is never cluttered. Neatness counts! — Jean Farnam, Three Forks, Mont.