Simply telling people not to gather for holiday rituals to avoid spreading COVID-19 won’t work, say researchers who cite the psychology of rituals. Health officials may have to do more than just tell people not to gather in order to be effective, they say. “People don’t want to have to pit one sacred value against another.” That’s because coming together to exchange gifts on Christmas isn’t just about getting presents; it’s a symbol of love. Eating turkey on Thanksgiving isn’t just a shared meal; it’s an expression of gratitude. “We view rituals as more important than regular types of group activities because they reflect the values of the group,” says Dan Stein, a doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and lead author of the paper.