The holidays are generally an opportunity to suffer due to unrealistic expectations, and this year is going to be extra special!
But seriously folks, let’s make it easier on ourselves and “unpack” what Thanksgiving might look like this year. First of all, I don’t see how we are supposed to even have Thanksgiving after having read the CDC’s guidelines. So, if you really want to give yourself (and everyone else) a break this year, how about everybody stay where you are and celebrate however you wish. Maybe you will eat a turkey sandwich (with Dijon mustard and cranberry sauce) and watch Hallmark movies all day.
However, if you have to get together with family and friends, here are three things to think about ahead of time:
- Not everyone is going to feel safe enough to travel and eat in a different household. Decide to be ok with where everyone is in regards to risk taking. Don’t take it personally.
- Think seriously about having Grandma celebrate Thanksgiving with everyone else. If — worst case scenario – she contracted COVID-19 and died, would the guilt be too much for you? If so, don’t put yourself in that position.
- Plan ahead of time how you are going to celebrate Thanksgiving (and any other holiday). It’s easy to be disappointed by everything that will not be the same, and it’s perfectly fine to grieve for what will not be. When/if we are ready, we can also think of it as an opportunity to be creative and come up with a different way to celebrate. Who knows? As horrid as COVID-19 has been, we may actually enjoy staying home and doing something different this year.