Creative Ways to Celebrate the Holidays During the Pandemic

As we make plans to celebrate the holidays with the Coronavirus pandemic rapidly rising in our state as well as the rest of the country. This presents a lot of challenges for the upcoming celebrations.

Thanksgiving is only a couple of weeks away and the pandemic is in its third wave of infections. While most people have been fortunate enough to survive, the elderly are especially susceptible to this airborne virus.

That means realizing that inviting grandma and grandpa over for Thanksgiving could make them sick. No one wants to experience the guilt of exposing them to a potentially deadly virus.

There’s also the problem of out-of-town relatives having to get on a plane and breathe shared air in close proximity to other passengers.

This Thanksgiving is an opportunity to think differently. Whether you want to introduce a new “social distancing” tradition or you long to keep some semblance of your family’s Thanksgiving traditions because you find them comforting in these uncertain times, we have a few ideas for you.

Dine Together Virtually

If your family or friends live close, you can celebrate the holidays together over Thanksgiving dinner by organizing a meal exchange. Decide on a meal together, then each household signs up for a dish or two and divides it up into equal portions using plastic containers. Then they drive the portions to all the other households on Thanksgiving morning. By mealtime, every household has portions of everything on the menu, and everyone can enjoy the meal together on a video call. No one is exposed to the virus and everyone enjoys the feast!

Order Out for the Food

If the pandemic has created extra stress this year, why not let someone else create all or part of your meal? You can order online and have it delivered. It is not only less work, but you are helping to support restaurants that have been hit hard by the pandemic.

You could also send some of the order to family members less fortunate than you and make their Thanksgiving even better.

Smaller Gatherings

Your guest list will probably end up being smaller this year when you celebrate the holidays with some family members opting out of these potential super-spreader events. This will allow you to scale back your menu accordingly.

If you don’t think there will be enough for a whole turkey, cooking drumsticks or a breast instead of a whole bird might make more sense.
Or you could also try mixing things up by cooking Cornish game hens or duck instead of turkey. Consider halving recipes and making fewer sides.

Hold an Outdoor Gathering

Obviously, this is predicated on having decent weather and a place to gather. Many communities have parks with covered picnic areas. Or maybe someone has a nice backyard and offers to hold it there. Everyone could bring a different dish, hotplates for keeping the food warm and bundle up if the weather is chilly. Before and after the meal the families could play horseshoes, frisbee, or badminton if the weather cooperates. The kids would have fun running around in the fresh air and working off all the calories.

Modify Traditions

Maybe it’s time to ditch tradition or at least modify it during this difficult time. Forget the turkey and choose something nontraditional to cook. It’s easier to try something different when you fewer people to please, especially when that one hard-to-please relative will not be attending this year.

One idea is to offer a food that is unique to your area. In the Northwest, we have salmon, crab, and other seafood that are special to this area. A nice Northwest meal paired with a good wine would make for a unique meal.

Donate to Those in Need

This Thanksgiving is especially difficult for many due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have lost loved ones or are experiencing financial hardships. Consider volunteering your time or donating money to an organization or charity that’s meaningful to you in lieu of having a big feast. You can also donate your time by checking in on elderly neighbors and offering to run their errands.

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com, https://wtop.com/thanksgiving-news/, https://www.mdanderson.org