With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many family and friends are met with the reality that they may not get to meet together as usual for the holiday season. Especially with Oregon’s new mandate, this Thanksgiving will look a little different for many families and friends. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t still be a time of celebration and a time of thankfulness! There are ways to (safely) celebrate this holiday season.
Set Boundaries
This one can feel hard, because as much as we may want to see your seven aunts, that may not be realistic with the current safety guidelines set in place. Maybe some of your friends and family are still gathering, but you don’t feel comfortable participating. There’s nothing wrong with setting these boundaries for you and the rest of your family’s own safety. Maybe they can set up a zoom call, so everyone who can’t physically be there can still participate.
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Find The “Normal”
With so much about this time of the year not feeling normal in 2020, finding your “normal” is so beneficial. Find ways to still do the things you love about the season. For me, I look forward to my family’s delicious food every holiday season, and recreating those dishes and pies helps make this feel like a more normal Thanksgiving. Continue your old and favorite traditions, even in the midst of an “unnormal” time.
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Start A New Tradition
While some old traditions may be difficult to put into practice with social distancing and such, it’s the perfect time to find a new tradition. If family and friends live close by, see if you could do a food drop off option, where you prepare your favorite dishes and leave them on each other’s front doorsteps. Find socially distanced hikes, or new indoor games, etc, that may turn into a new tradition.
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As valuable and important as celebrating the holidays is with all the family and friends, everyone’s safety is still crucial. Remember to do what feels safest for you, while still celebrating and relaxing over the holiday. Even in the middle of a challenging time, you can even find new traditions to start and continue the old ones.