Thanksgiving is the holiday where everyone comes together in one place and eats a bunch of good food with family and friends. Most importantly, it’s also the time of year where everyone can express the little things that they are grateful for that they overlook every day.
With COVID-19 around trashing everyone’s plans and traditions, celebrating this year has proven to be complicated. Show no fear, because Thanksgiving can still salvage through this mayhem. Friendsgivings over zoom, small gatherings, or leaving dishes outside of families’ homes are great ways to spend time or show thanks to loved ones. Here’s how to celebrate Thanksgiving in a new way.
Friendsgiving is a perfect getaway from those pesky little cousins, family drama, or those nipping the cheek grandmas where time is spent with a family chosen. According to CDC guidelines, celebrating over zoom is compliant and straightforward: just set up a time where everyone is available, grab snacks, get comfortable, and make sure to plan activities beforehand. If no activities come to mind, these are some ideas to try.
One fun game to play on zoom’s whiteboard is Virtual Pictionary. Take turns drawing on the whiteboard while being timed and whoever gets it right the fastest gets the point. Put the number of dashes representing the name of the object being drawn, and the person with the most points wins. Video games are also a great way to keep the fun alive. Get multiplayer games like Among Us, Mario Kart, Uno, and Pool. To spice things up, play truth or dare, and whoever doesn’t answer a truth has to do a dare, no exceptions, and vice versa.
An essential part of Friendsgiving is the food, of course. A fun, competitive food game is Blend It. Use a wheel generator, and the first two people who are chosen go in the first round. Repeat until everyone has a pair, or if the number of people is odd, whoever does not have a partner goes in the second round. The first person picked chooses two or three items the second person has to blend and drink. Nothing too toxic, though; we don’t want people dying now. If both players drink the concoction, they keep going until someone refuses. Whoever is the winner of that round continues until there are no more players to challenge. The victor wins bragging rights.
Are they tired of playing games? No problem. Movies or shows on streaming networks like Netflix, Disney plus, and Prime Video have simultaneous viewing parties. This communication form will evoke a gleeful and exuberant mood after ceasing contact with relatives; one can reconnect and feel included once again. Such an alternative will be especially beneficial because it conforms to regulatory safety measures and doesn’t breach any health preventions.
If celebrating in person can’t be avoided, make sure it is a small gathering, and everyone is following CDC guidelines. Have a hand sanitizer station in front of the house and buy a forehead thermometer to check people’s temperatures. Now, it’s not all conservatory seriousness. Activities are needed to conduct a wonderful time with family and friends, so here are some in-person activities to participate in. Mobile or console video games like Heads up, Super Smash Bros, 2K, Madden, and Rocket League are entertaining and riveting activities that can spike a competitive match amongst players. Or divert to the old-fashioned outdoor practices, including the classic games of catch, football, batting a couple of baseballs, or manhunt.
In such troubling times, individuals have to adapt, revolving around the obligatory social restrictions. Leaving yummy warm meals for family members at their doorstep is smart to keep the traditions alive. Especially now, during the holidays where folks must get rid of the usual holiday customs that involve huge gatherings with many interactions, it is vital to isolate oneself for the community’s welfare. Conducting these suggestions will give the best possible outcome for an extraordinary Thanksgiving.
