Missing family and friends? Wanting to safely gather for the holidays? We’ve got you covered. Even in a pandemic, this year’s Thanksgiving will refuse to be cancelled. There are so many creative ways to celebrate the holidays, while staying safe and following the guidelines of the Coronavirus. Here is a guide to Thanksgiving 2020: Pandemic Edition. 

Thanksgiving is typically a time where family from all over the country come together to share a nice meal and give thanks to everything they are grateful for. This year, however, is a bit more complicated, as many families, especially grandparents who are more susceptible to contracting the virus, cannot be put in situations where they aren’t following protocols and staying socially distant. 

Things are definitely going to look different, but ‘different’ does not necessarily mean ‘bad’. Many individuals are thinking of ‘out of the box’ ways to celebrate the season, and it’s important to remember that we can still have fun in these times, we just have to stay smart, safe, and maybe get a bit creative. 

This year, Younglife South County held an outdoors COVID Thanksgiving. Tables were set outside with lots of room to safely keep one another’s distance, and food was all served by masked adults, helping to prevent people from touching the same food dishes.

“The Younglife Thanksgiving was so much fun because we got to see our friends and praise the Lord, all while staying COVID safe. There were masked volunteers serving the food and lots of room to hang outdoors,” said sophomore Lilyan Schindler. 

If you’re looking to host a socially distanced gathering this time of year, check out this video released by The Today Show. Some of the ideas mentioned in this video help to find solutions to problems that may be faced when trying to prepare.

For instance, it might be a good idea to have a Thanksgiving breakfast or lunch, so that it isn’t too cold for guests when sitting outside instead of inside. Tables should be placed six feet apart in between families, and food should be served with gloves and a mask on. In addition, spices and condiments can be placed into individual containers in advance, so nothing is contaminated and everyone has their own, separate items. 

Trying to limit the amount of people to under ten would also be a smart idea. By reducing the number of people coming to the occasion, it makes it much easier to stay socially distanced, with the convenience of having tables more spread out.

“Because my family members are very cautious with the pandemic, especially regarding my grandpa, we are having a small and low key dinner to keep everyone comfortable and healthy,” said sophomore Haley Juarez.

Whether it’s a small dinner of five or a zoom call with your relatives, Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for everything we have in our lives. The holidays in 2020 are definitely going to be a little complicated , so it’s most beneficial to  get creative and stay positive, as that will help us to remember the reason for the season.