With pandemic restrictions, financial hardships for many and a raging pandemic claiming the lives of over 320,000 Americans this Christmas could be a "blue" one for a lot of people.
The Holidays can be stressful, even during a normal year. There's pressure to cook, buy decorate and celebrate.
But mental health experts recommend you try to keep traditions alive this year, even if it means gathering with friends and family virtually or by phone.
On Wednesday, during Allegheny County's weekly COVID-19 update, Dr. Debra Bogen and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said that the closing of restaurants and other places is science, not political.
Bogen says data shows that when people do not have their mask on for an extended period of time six feet of separation is not enough to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Dr. Alexandra Fortunato, a psychiatrist with Allegheny Health Network says it's important that people still keep in touch with loved ones.
"It's important for people to still kind of have that sense of normalcy even if it does have to be in a kind of a different, remote way.
Fortunato says that her office is busier this year than most.
