How Do We Celebrate Thanksgiving in a Pandemic?

We might not be able to gather for Thanksgiving this year—but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the holiday count.
BY JILL SUTTIE | NOVEMBER 23, 2021
This year’s Thanksgiving dinner is going to look a bit different for me and my family. In the past, we’d travel to the East Coast to feast on turkey with my husband’s brothers and extended family. If we couldn’t do that, we’d gather with local friends and family.
But, with COVID-19 cases on the rise, none of that will happen this year. Like most people, we’ve had to revise our holiday plans to keep all the important people in our life safe.
It’s a disappointment, for sure. But what can we do about it? Is there any way to make this Thanksgiving something more than a mere shadow of itself?
Here are some ideas to make your Thanksgiving holiday special, even during COVID.

1. Use ritual to enhance connections and emotions.
   2.
   2.Savor the sensory experiences of the holiday.
2. Put “thanks” at the center of your Thanksgiving.
   It may seem hard at first to think of something, but don’t forget the small things you might otherwise take for granted, like the smile on your child’s face, etc.
   We all have something we can be grateful for. If we’re able to, turning our minds toward the positive can brighten up an otherwise difficult Thanksgiving.