Thanksgiving 2020 looks different for all

Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated as a time of giving thanks. It is spent with your family. Thanksgiving can look different for many people. For my family, over the years we´ve kept the same tradition and that consists of our family hosting. Our typical Thanksgiving begins the night before with our cousins from New Hampshire coming to visit and spending the night. We kick it off by sitting around the table telling stories from previous years or funny childhood moments while we play games. Waking up on Thanksgiving morning is always special, football is always on television, and we all get ready in our nice clothes. My sister and I always attend the North Attleboro vs. Attleboro Thanksgiving football game, and when we return home, all of our guests begin to arrive. We spend the rest of the day eating and spending time with our loved ones.
Thanksgiving Is different to everyone. I´ve grown up attending the morning football games, the big meal with family, an afternoon walk and a post dessert trip to La Sallette, but that will definitely not be looking the same this year. To senior Jess Gaskin, “Thanksgiving means a day to spend with close family and have a meal while being so grateful and spend the time enjoying it with my cousins¨. To senior Haley Strom, her favorite fond memory is ¨sitting around the dining room table sharing funny stories.¨ Everyone I’ve talked to has traditions they´ve looked forward to each year.
This year, however, because of COVID, Thanksgiving is going to look a bit different. Instead of spending the day with a house full of relatives, most people will be celebrating with only members of their household. For me, while most of our family is staying home, we will probably be doing something with my Grandpa but that’s about it and that is definitely far from normal and sad to think about.
For Jess, a COVID Thanksgiving means a smaller gathering: ¨The gathering at my aunt´s has always been their yearly tradition, but this year it’s going to look very different with a much smaller crowd¨. Senior Haley Strom, said ¨ Thanksgiving will definitely be very different this year, we are not spending it with our family but instead spending it with our neighborhood and doing a Friendsgiving¨.
Among both Jess and Haley, Thanksgiving is going to look a lot different to them and that does come with feelings of sadness and change. But to senior Olivia Etiverne, Thanksgiving isn’t going to look any different than it has in previous years. She said, “It is going to look the same and it’s a day where I spend time bonding with my mom while cooking and baking.”
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is the best time of year to celebrate with your family and close friends and share the thankfulness you have with a loving meal. Just like all that 2020 has brought, it is just another reminder to not take any moment or memory for granted because you never know when it will be your last. And among COVIDand all the lessons 2020 has brought us, this is just another, who knows where the incoming years will take us and how future holidays like Thanksgiving will look.