HOW TO SPEND A QUARANTINED THANKSGIVING

This year has been anything but normal. As COVID-19 cases keep rising in the U.S. with no end in sight, it is important to remind ourselves that the holiday season is not exempt from the pandemic

2020 has been a lonely year for many of us and some holiday cheer can lift the spirits, but the consequences can be deadly. Currently there are 1.05 million COVID-19 cases in California with Los Angeles County being responsible for 345,000 of the cases.

There is a silver lining, however; there are safe ways we can celebrate without putting our loved ones at risk.

If you are part of the half of the millennials who didn’t have to move back in with your parents because of the pandemic, you have a few options to celebrate with your friends and family before you start contemplating on looking up how to cook a turkey in the microwave.

Thanksgiving is all about the food and a dinner over Zoom still lets you enjoy a meal with loved ones. Yes, another Zoom session is probably the last thing you want to do. Make it fun by dropping off food to your would-be guests so that you can joy the same food. You can also coordinate menus and cook up the same food without having to cook for many.

Despite the distance, post-dinner activities can still happen. Choose a movie for all to watch after dinner. There are tons of online games like Uno, Words with Friends and Scrabble, for example, that can be played online together.

Some of us might have to resort to more traditional ways of celebrating with our older relatives. A simple phone call or a mailed-in holiday card can make a difference in these trying times.

The holidays are always especially reserved for friends and family, but if we are ever to see an end to this pandemic, we must find ways to celebrate with our loved ones while also staying safe and taking care of each other.