Skipping a big Thanksgiving during COVID-19? Here are some other ways to celebrate
While families are urged to avoid big Thanksgiving dinners due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are still ways to celebrate the holiday.
This year, health officials recommend people skip Thanksgiving travel due to the potential for spreading COVID-19. The safest way to spend the holiday is with those you live with, while gatherings with people outside your household carry higher risks.
“That means things like Zoom calls, that means like outdoor visiting, that means like enjoying walks together,” said Dr. Andy Pavia of University of Utah Health, according to KSTU. “Things that can be done safely.”
Here are some ideas from experts.
Host a virtual dinner
For those who want to scale back on their gatherings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend planning alternatives such as virtual dinners.
The video platform Zoom is lifting its usual time limits on free calls for Thanksgiving, so you don’t have to worry about your online chat getting cut off.
“You can spice up Zoom with fun contests, like ‘most creative table setting,’ ‘best decorations for the holidays,’ or ‘most delicious looking desserts,” Emerson Hospital in Massachusetts said on its website.
If you’re missing your favorite dishes, another option is to use video chats to share recipes, health experts say.
Deliver meals
You can also plan to deliver meals to relatives. It’s best to leave the items on a porch or in another place that won’t allow for direct contact, especially if the person is at risk of getting seriously sick from the coronavirus, according to the CDC.
For Thanksgiving, the Medium Rare restaurant group based in Washington, D.C., received more than 1,000 requests to deliver food to people older than 70 who are spending time alone, USA Today reported.
“The original intent was to do something uplifting and give back and be thankful for everything we have,” co-owner Mark Bucher said, according to the news outlet. “But frankly, what we’ve learned is that the elderly have been overlooked.”
Exercise with family
Exercise outside as an alternative to crowded turkey trots or other holiday-themed running events, officials say.
If you’re staying in with your immediate family, you may want to tune into holiday parades or football games. There’s also the potential to play board games, cook as a family or organize a food donation drop-off, health experts say.
Giving thanks
Even in an unpredictable year like 2020, the CDC recommends considering what you’re grateful for and sharing that information with others.
“Write notes of thanks for a time capsule to open next Thanksgiving, or create a keepsake by using a marker to pen kind words in a spiral on an artificial pumpkin passed around the table,” Hartford HealthCare in Connecticut said on its website.
This story was originally published November 23, 2020 at 9:18 AM with the headline "Skipping a big Thanksgiving during COVID-19? Here are some other ways to celebrate."
