As Thanksgiving approaches, the pandemic continues to unveil its ugly head – with possible travel restrictions and safety concerns.

So, how do we celebrate Thanksgiving during the pandemic? 

Do we sit at the table sulking with a bag of sweet potato bites?

Well, as the pandemic threatens to derail most Thanksgiving traditions, it’s also an opportunity to think outside the box. A time to ditch that traditional playbook, opt for a different menu, or find ways to reinvent important family Thanksgiving activities.

And we’re here to help make the transition as smooth as possible – with our list of how to celebrate Thanksgiving during the pandemic safely and fun.

3 Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving during the Pandemic

Let’s dive in.

Dine Together Virtually

You can dine together virtually by organizing a meal exchange among your close friends and family. Here, form a common discussion platform like, say, a Whatsapp group – for easy communication.

Next, decide a menu together and add respective recipe links to a shared Google Sheets – or a spreadsheet of your choice. Add a column for dietary restrictions or allergies if need be. Let each household sign up to make a dish or two in bulk – enough for all the members involved.

Once ready, divide the respective dishes into equal portions and deliver them to each household.

Note, do the drop-off safely and in accordance with the laid out health guidelines – from proper hygiene to maintaining a social distance.

While at it, use budget-friendly storage containers or, better yet, use disposable storage containers – to eliminate the need for their return. After all, there’s a need to eliminate much interaction.

After a successful drop-off, enjoy the meal together on a video call. And to save on resources, opt for a chatting platform that’s free, easy to use, and secure.

Alternatively,

Celebrate Thanksgiving Outdoors

If you reside in a warmer climate, consider throwing an outdoor Thanksgiving party. A couple of households can safely gather in a park or backyard – as compared to inside.

Have a potluck with designated food stations to allow each family to scope meals independently. Or, portion the food in separate (disposable or otherwise) containers and distribute it when it’s serving time.

Prepare some throw blankets or get an outdoor patio heater just in case the temperature dips – it’s fall after all.

Ensure the health guidelines are followed, hygiene is maintained, masks won, and social distance is maintained.

Importantly, scale your guest list back as much as possible. The thumb rule is to invite guests in numbers relative to the size of your backyard – while factoring in all health guidelines provided.

Cut back the menu to minimize waste or order meals to cut yourself some meal preparation hustle. After all, you want the maximum time to prepare that grilled turkey with loved ones, don't you?  

And for those whose loved ones are far away.

Broadcasting your Phone or Computer Display on your TV

Do not let the pandemic take that frenzy and joy of cooking with loved ones away from you. If you cannot do drop-offs, take another route.

Bring together all the households to be involved in the cooking activity under one roof – a.k.a. a common chatting platform.

Agree on a menu and share your respective recipes. While at it, share helpful cooking tips, cooking woes, or suggested ingredient variations. Once each household has prepared the selected menu, dine together virtually.

Broadcast your usual video screen on your TV to make the far-away loved ones feel more life-size. Use smart display devices, such as Google Nest Hub Max or the Amazon Echo Show, to stay connected.

Activate voice commands to easily initiate calls with loved ones – especially when your hands are messy. Voice commands can also help kids, the elderly, and differently-abled individuals to start video calls stress-free.

You can engage in a video chat throughout the meal preparation, cooking, serving, and eating processes.And to take off some of that holiday pressure, Maids in Hoboken can take care of all your cleaning needs. Be it cleaning highly-touched surfaces, removing dust and molds, or thorough-cleaning the entire home – to get it ready for your loved ones. Contact us for a free quote.