Top Activies to do this Thanksgiving Break
For many of us, it has been months since we have seen our extended family. We've all been longing to forget about the pandemic and truly enjoy ourselves. Although Thanksgiving has traditionally been celebrated in large groups eating meals, how safe is it to do this year? Recently, Covid-19 cases have been surging in countless places, which is why many experts fear that holiday parties may result in more illnesses. Because this holiday season is unlike any other, many people are not sure how to celebrate safely. Here are the top 6 activities to do this Thanksgiving break that will ensure that you and your friends and family can celebrate to the fullest while still being safe during this unpredictable time.
If you plan to share the holiday with anyone outside of your immediate family, aim to do so outside. Coronavirus transmission is substantially reduced in the open air. However, in many places, November weather is cold, so bundle up and supply blankets. Maybe even have a fire pit or outdoor heaters.
Another fun and easy activity is to sit around with your family and watch Thanksgiving movies or TV shows. One movie that is appealing to all ages and is a great way to get into the Thanksgiving spirit is “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”. If you're longing for a normal holiday feel, this movie really makes it feel like a standard Thanksgiving and creates a great opportunity for some family bonding.
An all-time favorite holiday tradition for many families is watching the Macy’s Day Parade. In order to keep everyone safe and follow along with CDC guidelines, the parade has been modified and will now focus exclusively on the last section in order to shift the productions to a television broadcast only. Although the parade will be different this year, the giant floats and captivating performances will be something that you won’t want to miss.
One major event that will be very different this year is Black Friday. On the Friday after Thanksgiving, every store has major sales in order to get into the Christmas spirit, and it is historically one of the busiest days that malls see each year. Although we are in the midst of a pandemic, Black Friday is still happening this year, but guidelines and precautions will hopefully keep it as safe as possible. Retailers will encourage people to do their shopping online which will mean that there will be more online deals that will continue onto Cyber Monday. This is a great time to buy gifts for the holidays and merchandise for yourself without feeling guilty because it is what the day is all about.
After Black Friday shopping, you can plan a white elephant gift exchange to do with a group of people. The basis of a white elephant exchange is that every player brings a wrapped gift and everyone picks a number that will determine who will go first. A player can choose to either choose a gift from the pile or steal a gift that they want from someone else. This continues on until everyone has a gift, the full rules and explanations are listed on their website. This is a safe and fun way to celebrate the holidays with friends and a good way to put your shopping to use.
Thanksgiving is a perfect time to volunteer at a local soup kitchen or food bank. Make it your goal to bring some joy to people and give them something to smile about on Thanksgiving. A great way to help out is to assemble meal boxes or serve food at thanksgiving dinner. There are a lot of opportunities that you can take advantage of to make the holiday special for families in need.
Doing things that we normally do during the holiday season may not be possible this year, but that doesn’t mean that the actual holiday has to be any different. Thanksgiving is the one day a year that we really take time to be grateful for all that we have, and even though that may seem hard in a time like this, we all have something to be grateful for, so make sure the people you're thankful for know it.