For obvious reasons, Thanksgiving Day 2020 is quite a loaded topic. Where to go, what to do, and who to do it with has turned into a political battleground. Personally I find the current conversation around Thanksgiving to be annoying and counterproductive, so here are my thoughts and pieces of advice (in no particular order)
My advice to those celebrating solo or in smaller groups this year; make the turkey anyway. Don’t want to make a 20 lb turkey for yourself or a few guests? Go for a turkey breast, a roaster chicken, or a few Cornish game hens. The idea here is to do something as close to a normal Thanksgiving as possible versus doing nothing.
Travel or don’t, hold a Thanksgiving dinner or don’t, but please stop posting about your decisions on social media like they make you special. Just do whatever you decide to do without turning it into an attention seeking spectacle.
Food pics are good and encouraged; even if you’re doing the solo dinner thing show us what you made!
Don’t shame anyone for their Thanksgiving plans. Some people feel the risk is too great and choose to stay home, some people have been cooped up alone for the past eight months and they need to get out. Every person has their own unique set of circumstances you know nothing about, try to be kind.
Speaking of being kind, this is the time of year when seasonal / holiday depression kicks in for those who suffer from it. This year has been a punishing one for everyone and we haven’t spent much time discussing the mental health effects. Keep that in mind when dealing with people.
Turkey leftovers do not stay fresh for forever - make sure to eat or repurpose them within four days.
If you are staying home, why not do a Zoom Thanksgiving and invite the people you wouldn’t have been able to invite to an in-person Thanksgiving?
This will be the year that nobody cares if you mess up the turkey.
This is also the year you don’t have to invite anyone to your Thanksgiving dinner that you really don’t want there. See, COVID does have some silver linings!
No matter how you celebrate this year, be sure to celebrate. Granted there isn’t much to be thankful for this year but we could all use a day rest and happiness.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you