THANKSGIVING COVID EDITION
Janessa Storlie
Another holiday during Covid-19 that will go down in our personal history books. We will all be celebrating a little differently this year so we avoid spreading the virus. If you are used to a large family gathering from relatives all over the countryside than your holiday might just be a little bit different this year.
In today's blog post, I just wanted to share some creative ideas that will bring your small family gathering closer together and that will allow you to focus more on the true meaning of Thanksgiving and less about the haunting of Thanksgiving past.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO TRAVEL
If you normally travel to visit family and that is out of the cards this year, I would recommend that you connect with close friends and neighbors who will also be home for the holiday. Instead of having a huge Thanksgiving party, maybe you can each create a certain food dish that you can break up into smaller portions and deliver to each household.
It is sort of like a potluck, except you have to subtract out the gathering part of a potluck. Here is a great way to organize it.
Connect with three or four of your friends or neighbors who will also be staying home for the holiday.
Meet over zoom and create a list of Thanksgiving dishes that are a tradition in each family. (turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberries, gravy, salad, etc.)
Have each person choose 2-3 different food dishes that they are in charge to make.
Purchase cute to-go containers or disposable food containers from the grocery store that can hold the appropriate portions.
Create a delivery schedule so you can stop and speak to each family at a safe distance.
On Thanksgiving, cook the food. Then, deliver the food to each one of your friends/neighbor's homes.
Schedule a time for everyone to hop on zoom, eat, drink, and visit about the holiday!
You can also do this if you have a large family and you all decide it is safer to not meet in a large gathering.
If you have an elderly family or community member, see if a designated family member that can visit with them the day of Thanksgiving to help them prep food and run the tech applications. If possible, this person should quarantine before Thanksgiving to be safe!.
FOR LARGE FAMILIES
If you have a large family as I do, you might want to consider enjoying your Thanksgiving meal for a shorter amount of time. Instead of meeting for the entire day of Thanksgiving, just meet for a few hours in the evening and attempt to keep your distance. Also, if you are going to meet up in a large group, I would advise getting tested a few days before Thanksgiving. Quarantining before and after the holiday is advisable if possible. While together, be sure to socially distance and wear a mask if indoors. For meal time, consider splitting into households rather than all eating at one large table.
Another option you can consider is to have the meal outside; weather permitting of course. We have entered into the fall season and if there is no snow on the ground then it might be a beautiful day to go and enjoy your Thanksgiving meal outside! If an outdoor setting isn’t possible, consider opening up your windows and doors to allow better ventilation.
You can get more guidance about gathering this year at the CDC website:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html
BE SAFE AND KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
I know no one enjoys adjusting to the new way of life, but is important that we all do our part to end the spread of COVID. Keeping our distance and being as safe as we possibly can will allow us to continue our normal family traditions next year. Make a sacrifice for one year and be creative this holiday season!
Also, if you know of families that are struggling due to the economic impact that COVID has had, make sure to help others out as much as possible. Maybe you know a family who is personally struggling, you could deliver a Thanksgiving meal to them. Give them a gift card to go and buy food. Meet up with them over Zoom. Do something to put a smile on their face.
Another option you can consider this year is just ordering your favorite food from your favorite restaurant. With DoorDash and Uber Eat, it makes it very easy to get local food delivered right to your door. If you don't like to cook, do your best to support small businesses in your area who are struggling with the effects of COVID.
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