This year around the country everyone will have to face a new kind of Thanksgiving due to COVID-19. It seems like Thanksgiving is going to go on the long list of things that the coronavirus has ruined this year. Normally during the holiday season, we get excited to see family and friends that we haven’t been able to see all year while eating amazing food. However, this year in order to keep all of our loved ones safe we have to look at Thanksgiving differently this year. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving alone this year, with immediate family, or just friends hopefully my article can give you some ways to help cope with adjusting to Thanksgiving this year.
- FaceTime Those You Won’t See This Year
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Even though nothing can make up for being there with your loved ones, FaceTiming your loved ones on the holidays can help make you feel a little closer to them. During Thanksgiving dinner, you and your family can all FaceTime while you sit at the dinner table and have a virtual Thanksgiving dinner. If your family members cannot FaceTime or video chat you can still always just call them to hear their voice on the phone.
- Cook the Normal Foods On Your Thanksgiving Menu
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This is a perfect time to learn how to cook some of your favorite recipes that you always wanted to learn to cook. During Thanksgiving, the best part is having foods that you don’t have all the time and usually, each family member has their specialty dish. However since we can not see all of our loved ones this year, this is the perfect time to call that family member that makes your favorite dish for the recipe. By cooking some of the same dishes that you would usually have at Thanksgiving dinner, it helps bring a sense of normalcy. This is also a great way to get closer to one of your family members and maybe even start a new tradition with you cooking a dish for Thanksgiving from now on.
- Follow the Same Traditions
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On Thanksgiving day try to follow some of the same traditions that you normally would that you can practice safely. In my family, we normally watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in the morning and finish preparing food. During Thanksgiving dinner, we all usually sit together and watch a movie Even though my entire family won’t be there I still plan on carrying out these same traditions. Some other Thanksgiving traditions may be putting Christmas decorations up that night, watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, or even watching the football game. Even if you are not able to take part in all your traditions this year, try to carry out the ones you can.
- Think About What You Are Thankful For
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One of the most important things to do on Thanksgiving is to take a moment and give thanks for what you have. Even though in the midst of Covid-19 it does not seem like there is much to be thankful for, there is always something you can be thankful for. You can be thankful for life, having a home, your family and friends, and even just for having the device you’re reading this article on. There are so many things in our daily lives that we take for granted and it is important to truly think about what we do have.
- Volunteer
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If you are not able to go home and spend time with your family this Thanksgiving try to volunteer and help the less fortunate. You can donate canned foods, serve food at homeless shelters, or even help deliver food to families who may not have much this holiday season.
- Window Visits
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A great way to visit your elderly family members who you have not seen in a while is to go to their house and have a window visit with them. You can stand to their window or door without coming in and just say hello so you all can see each other on Thanksgiving day.
- Relax
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One of the best ways to spend Thanksgiving is to take a break from everything and just relax. After having such a stressful year Thanksgiving is the perfect time unwind and just take time to forget about work, school, and stress and just take time to yourself. Binge watch the show you’ve been wanting to, watch that movie, do that craft, call that person you’ve been meaning to, or just take a long nap. Do whatever it is that will help you to relax.
- Online Shopping
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One of the best ways to relax is retail therapy! Since covid is here I am sure most of us do not want to go shopping in stores. Thankfully for many years, Black Friday shopping has started to become available online and many of the stores will be offering so many online deals this year. Black Friday shopping is one of the greatest ways to end your Thanksgiving and it’s also an amazing way to start on your Christmas shopping!
I hope this list gives you some ways to cope with a different kind of Thanksgiving this year and that no matter how you celebrate Thanksgiving this year it is a joyous (or relaxing) one!