Safely Celebrating Thanksgiving This Season
Written by Andreas Fields
Posted on November 19, 2020
What isn’t to love about Thanksgiving? There’s great food, quality family time, and even more great food. But, like everything else this year, Thanksgiving is going to look a bit different.
Here are some tips to help you have a safe Thanksgiving this year while still keeping the spirit of the holiday alive.
#1: Plan Ahead
Thanksgiving break starts Nov. 25, so make sure you’re ready! Limit the amount of places you go and the people you see now. Take this time to make sure you’ve gotten your free flu shot and you’ve done everything you can to keep yourself and your family safe.
#2: Zoom-ing into Thanksgiving
Let’s face it: we all get tired of Zoom sometimes. There are awkward pauses and interruptions, connectivity issues, and the one person who can’t ever remember to keep their microphone off. But Zoom might turn out to be a useful tool this Thanksgiving, and you’ll have the most success if you come up with some ideas to make it fun. Ask family members to change their backgrounds or profile pictures to old family photos, or have them label themselves with a funny nickname.
#3: Celebrate with Your Household
Unfortunately, it might turn out that not everyone in your family can gather at your great grandma’s house in-person this year. Consider having a celebration with just the members of your household. It may be a smaller get-together, but that means more food for you!
#4: Limit Your Travel
If you and your family want to visit others, keep the number of people you see to a minimum and only for a short amount of time. Minimize the number of places you visit and the number of people you interact with. Keep a safe distance, wear a face mask, and follow all other CDC guidelines.
#5: Get Tested Before you Come Back
If you’re planning on coming back to Allendale or Grand Rapids after leaving for Thanksgiving, it’s a good idea to get tested. Call your local pharmacy or health center to make an appointment, or check out the GVSU website for Grand Valley testing info.
Thanksgiving will be different this year, but we can still take the time to let our families know we love them. Start reflecting on what you’re thankful for, stay safe, and have a happy Thanksgiving.