Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States. In November of 1621, colonists in Plymouth and Native Americans started to share a feast. The Harvest Festival now known as “Thanksgiving” lasted three days. The three days were spent eating together, and praying which they thanked God for blessings. It was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World. New World was another term for the majority of Earth’s Western Hemisphere. Soon enough, Thanksgiving was soon signed as a yearly federal holiday on January 6th, 1885. As we get ready to sit down with our families and eat dinner and with Covid-19 being a roadblock, it’s difficult to leave the house to see friends and family without having the fear of catching something. Thankfully, there are a handful of ways we can enjoy staying home while also staying safe this year. 

1. Macy’s Day Parade

On every Thanksgiving, Macy’s Day Parade is broadcasted live in New York. There’s a range of different things you can see. Musical numbers, floats, high school marching bands, famous singers, dancers, and of course the iconic giant balloons. The parade will air on NBC-TV, Thursday, November 26th from 9 a.m-12 p.m. Unfortunately, Macy’s is tweaking a tradition this year due to Covid-19. Santa won’t be shown at the end of this float. 

     2. Drive-by

Due to most families not being together, a simple yet fun way to see older relatives that are at a higher risk for Covid is a drive-by. Get in your car with your family, and head on to see your grandparents/other relatives. You can even drop off little treats and desserts for them.

3. Virtual Dinner

With most people being familiar with Zoom, it would be another great way to sit down and have a safe dinner with your family. Someone in your family can host a zoom call while you all eat Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a safe and easy way to see everyone while also enjoying that time together. 

4. Decorate for Christmas

Christmas is typically everyone’s favorite holiday, so you can’t go wrong with decorating your home on Thanksgiving. It would be fun for your whole family, and lighten up the mood.

5. Crafts

If you live with younger siblings or relatives, crafts would be a fun way to keep everyone entertained. You could make a classic hand turkey or a simple centerpiece that’ll sit on your table while you all eat dinner. 

However, if you’re going to visit other relatives outside of your immediate family, here are some tips to keep safe.

1. Keep a Mask with You at all Times

It’s not easy for everyone to wear masks for a long period especially when seeing family. Your best option would be to stay safe and keep your mask within reach

2. Avoid Seeing High-Risk Relatives 

Grandparents and older family members are at a much higher risk for Covid and could affect them badly. Show your love to them by social distancing properly and not infecting them so 

you’ll be able to see them after the pandemic. 

3. Wash Hands Regularly

Using hand sanitizer before and after you eat to keep away germs are helpful, same for constantly washing your hands for three minutes under hot water with soap. It’s important to make sure you’re scrubbing for the correct amount so you kill all unwanted germs

It’s going to be disappointing that we can’t see all of our family and celebrate Thanksgiving normally this year. However, there are a ton of ways you can still have fun with your family on this occasion. Remember to social distance properly and wear your mask at all times so we can go back to our normal routine!