It’s that time of year where we consume copious amounts of food and spend quality time with family. As we all know, the holidays may be a bit different as we are still in the midst of a pandemic. So the question remains, how do we celebrate Thanksgiving while remaining safe for our friends and our loved ones? Using the CDC as a guideline, we’ve come up with three helpful tips to have a joyous holiday while ensuring that everyone in your family stays healthy.
Keeping it Small
This year it could be a good idea to forego a larger gathering in favor of just dining with the people who live in your home. You don’t need a crowd to give thanks. Enjoying a special meal at the dining room table with the people you live with can be just as grand of an experience as inviting dozens of family members over. Despite a smaller crowd, you can still use the special china, set the table as you would any other special occasion, and maybe even video chat with members of your family who may be having a scaled down feast of their own. A perk of a smaller Thanksgiving is that there will be a lot less dishes!
Outdoor Gathering
If you do decide to invite family and friends over for Thanksgiving, dining outdoors could be a great way to social distance while enjoying time with family and friends. In Connecticut, the temperature for Thanksgiving is expected to reach a high of 57 degrees with a 91% chance of rain. To stay dry, a backyard tent could be ideal for an outdoors Thanksgiving. Though it may be your first Thanksgiving outdoors, nearly 400-years ago, the Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrated the very first Thanksgiving outdoors as well. As we enter a second wave of COVID-19, we’ve all had to make adjustments in our life to ensure the health and safety of ourselves and others. Though an outdoor Thanksgiving may not always be ideal, it will definitely be a fun memory that will be talked about for years to come.
To-go Plates
Drive-by Thanksgiving anyone? Whether you are the cook of the family or you’re simply the eater, a drive by Thanksgiving can be a great meal to enjoy your Grandmother’s cornbread or Auntie’s potato salad while still maintaining a safe distance. Premade to-go plates are a great way to enjoy the flavors of this cherished holiday without getting too close for comfort.