Many believed that COVID-19 would only last a few days, especially since stay-at-home orders were placed in March to lower the spread of the virus.

Since the placement of the new regulations, planners of holiday parties and other events have had to change the way events are done. Some won’t be able to happen at all.

With the current regulations, small businesses such as florists and Christmas tree sellers can stay open for business as long as they follow the regulations in place.

The Internation Garden Center is one of those businesses, staying open with exceptions.

International Garden Center is a garden shop where people can buy items such as plants, fertilizers, and pots. With the holidays they also added Christmas related items such as Christmas trees and ornaments.

“We had to cancel our autumn and Christmas events at the store since we have to limit the number of people that come by,” Deno Soria, General Manager said.

The autumn event would have complimentary drinks and food for customers while they shopped. For the Christmas event, carolers would walk around the store singing Christmas carols. This year, the carolers will be around a microphone, socially distanced from shoppers. Soria said.

Mr. Jingles Christmas Trees Lot is a Christmas tree lot that began to do online orders and deliveries for Christmas trees as well as being able to still go to the lot and buy the trees in person.

“I think that being able to come here and experience this (the tree lot) during Covid, gives a positive aspect to all the negatives,” Ernie McPeek, the sales associate said.

McPeek said that they wanted to stay open for people to continue positively experiencing the holidays and forgetting about COVID-19, at least while they shopped.

Mr. Jingles Christmas Trees gave customers the option to order trees online. The customers are also given options such as contactless deliveries, help with setting the tree up and even a recycling option for after the holidays.

With the changes, people are able to still shop for Christmas trees while in the comfort of their own home.

“It was pretty easy to order honestly, I just went to the website, picked a tree, and was sent an email for when it was arriving,” Jadelyn Jamie, arts major at El Camino College said. “But I still wanted to come because I still missed the experience.”

While some stores began to find new ways to continue to still give services to customers, other stores opted to limit customers in the stores instead.

Boulevard Wholesale Florist Market is one of the businesses that began to limit the number of people inside the shop.

“We haven’t seen much of a difference,” Carolyn Stevens, the cashier said. “We still get orders for birthdays, funerals, and other events, but we always make sure to wear masks and gloves to stay safe.”

To continue to have small events, the stores had to change their plans to incorporate the new regulations with a maximum amount of people.

The pandemic still raging on and new cases being reported every day, many stores have found ways to help customers receive the same experiences as before but also ways to help stay safe in the current pandemic.