Thanksgiving 2020 Plans

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year (if you celebrate it)?

So and I plan to have our own TG. Certain family members told me that we should visit them because "we won't catch coronavirus there."

Hmm... I have some health issues and I really don't want to chance it especially considering the volume of people who enter their home (think revolving door).

We decided to decline. They also said they could stop by for an hour. If that happens, I don't plan on answering the door.

So, what do you plan to do and do you have family/other people you know who think that this virus is not a big deal? How do you deal with them?

[polly_mer]

Everyone's plan should be to stay home and do virtual interactions.  Period.

People should be making those virtual plans for Christmas as well...if people actually believe germ theory and want to keep some hospital capacity available for medical emergencies.

At the moment, we're dealing with people who refuse to believe basic germ theory by sighing big sighs of relief that we're far enough away that no one will just drop in.  People who have made noises about coming here have been told firmly that we will not answer the door.  Since even before Covid we have enforced boundaries by walking out of public places and breaking off contact for months, that's a credible threat.

[Vkw10]

My family discussed Thanksgiving and Christmas recently. Partner and I will stay home for Thanksgiving, while Nephew and friends stay in their apartment until after exams. Then Nephew will come home for a quiet Christmas here, instead of our usual trip to SC to spend holiday with my brother's family.

Brother's family will have maternal family visiting during Christmas. Everyone agreed to self-quarantine two weeks before Christmas to minimize risk to elderly grandparents. Brother is concerned about one of in-laws following through, but says others are sensible.

We plan to visit brother's family for Spring Break, when we'll be only visitors. We've booked a cabin near them. Plan is to enjoy outdoor activities together mid-day, grill and dine outside, and avoid indoor time when we're together.

[spork]

Isolating at home as much as possible so that I don't pass on an infection to my wife before her planned international flight.

[Larimar]

Everything's cancelled here. The best we'll be able to do is get ingredients for a nice meal from the grocery store and cook it at home. Might as well do that since that's what's possible. Hard to call it a celebration.

[clean]

I have been guilted to visit inlaws.  We married only weeks ago, and the current honeymoon/Christmas plans were to drive the scenic way to my parents' house in Florida for Christmas  (COVID permitting).  Given that I will take this woman away from her family for Christmas for the first time ever, I was hit with a guilt issue/ demand that As we will not be here for Christmas, that we WILL be here for Thanksgiving. 

Her parents live less than 3 miles away.  I have already (been) committed to cook stuffing (and now one other item) to bring.  Her sister with "The Baby" is trying to back out, and they (wife and MIL) are already making plans that sisters family can still come, but eat in another room. 

My inlaws are not US born (though now citizens).  They did not experience the Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving as children, thus did not exactly pass that along.  I have had probably 4 turkey dinners there.  Not one bird was cooked correctly!  (The first thanksgiving I spent with them had turkey, but nothing that would normally be associated with a 'turkey dinner'... that is why I am tasked with bringing my own stuffing/dressing!)

Last year, I got a call with a question, and I told them to take the bird out and check the temperature as they thought it needed more time.  I was informed that there was no meat thermometer in the house!  I jumped in the car and delivered one!  Even THEN the bird had reached 200 degrees!!!

(So the solution was suggested that," Well, we will turn the oven OFF, but leave the turkey in the oven until we are ready to eat"... that poor bird!!!)

3 years ago I offered to carve the bird (as I have some experience as in grad school I cooked a turkey every semester).  I cut the bird in half and while I dealt with one half, the 'helpers' deboned the other half with a pair of forks!).   After I removed the breast on my half and prepared to slice it, her brother, using the forks, chopped and shredded the breast in seconds.  I just said, "Oh, OK" and walked away (Shocked and surprised, but not upset!!)

(I subsequently learned that the reason that they used  forks and not a sharp knife was that long ago the brother had some issues and that there are no sharp knives in the house). 

Anyway, I dont think that I want to be over there long enough to take responsibility for cooking a turkey, and I m not going to be allowed to bring the turkey anyway.  So another poor factory farmed critter is doomed to have lived a pointless existence... (well at least they SHOULD have a meat thermometer NOW!, so I suppose that I should be optimistic!!)

Hopefully the sister & THE BABY (and hubby too)  will be able to stand the pressure and opt out.  It wont be too bad if there are but 5 of us.  They dont get out too much, so likely low risk, and we wont stay too long (maybe we will take separate cars so I can leave and she can spend more quality time with them, though she talks to them multiple times a day and sees them almost daily.  )

Well THIS went on too long!! 

Resume normal responses! 

[Harlow2]

We always do a hike, so barring terrible weather we will do the same. Two close family members work retail, so thinking picnic if at all possible. We are in a hotspot.

[apl68]

I've visited Mom and Dad several times since the pandemic began, and don't plan on letting this be the first year in my life not to see them on Thanksgiving.  There'll be no big family get-together of the sort we had when my grandmother was still alive.  My brother and his wife will be coming in from out-of-state.  This will be the first chance to see them all year.  They have both been working from home, and have been practicing responsible virus avoidance, as have Mom and Dad and myself.  I live alone and work in a relatively low-risk environment, where we practice masking and social distancing, among ourselves as well as with patrons.

I know that the only certain way to avoid passing the virus on is to go virtual-only.  I also know that neither I nor the rest of our family can live in a virtual-only world for months on end.  Life has to go on, and that means running some carefully assessed risks.  To me, it's like riding a motorcycle.  Yes, there are some real inherent dangers.  Be aware of them, and follow best practices to minimize them, and you can reduce them to a level that allows you to get on with things.

[sinenomine]

I live at a distance from all my family members, so I've been doing a solo Thanksgiving for years. I'm usually so fried from work by that point, a day of leisure is welcome: I buy some gourmet food and wine, and treat myself to some binge watching. With the virus surging, the Hanukkah/Christmas I usually celebrate at my sister's is not going to happen, but we may FaceTime for some of the gift unwrapping.

[Parasaurolophus]

We'll cook up the garden squashes and watch a movie, or go for a hike, or go watch the seals, or something.

My partner's American, and she cares a fair bit about it. I'm French Canadian, and my parents are European, so I can't even be bothered to know what month our Thanksgiving is in, let alone yours.

[notmycircus]

My husband and I are cooking Thanksgiving dinner and delivering it to our three grown children that live in town.  Meals for Freeloaders.  We will also deliver Chanukah gifts at the same time, since it begins two weeks from Thanksgiving.  We miss our out of town kids and grands tremendously.  We all maintain a social distance and have been doing so since March.  We will also be online together for show and tell and expressions of gratitude.

[ab_grp]

We will definitely be having a dinner for just the two of us, so we can make whatever we want to.  There is still a turkey in the freezer, but we have hesitated to cook it and have to deal with all the leftovers.   Still, it is taking up a lot of room, so we might just do it and get it over with.  There are a couple side dishes that sound good that we might try to make, but it will probably be a pretty normal day here.  We may have to get creative on ingredients with the new restrictions in place, but that could be fun.  I am too far away (in miles) from the Thanksgiving traditions I grew up with, but it's not a huge deal to me.  Unfortunately, eldest daughter (RN) has had to start treating COVID patients because her floor got turned into a COVID floor, so I doubt she will be able to go with her original plans to travel out to see my mom and her (my daughter's) dad and his family.  But, she's got a good guy who's basically living with her and a lovely new kitty to spend time with, and we all have a lot to be thankful for!

By the way...

I have been guilted to visit inlaws.  We married only weeks ago, and the current honeymoon/Christmas plans were to drive the scenic way to my parents' house in Florida for Christmas  (COVID permitting).  Given that I will take this woman away from her family for Christmas for the first time ever, I was hit with a guilt issue/ demand that As we will not be here for Christmas, that we WILL be here for Thanksgiving. 

Congratulations, Clean! I think I missed the news that you got married! (I knew you were engaged) I remember your previous Thanksgiving tales with the (now) in-laws.  Good luck!

[clean]

Congratulations, Clean! I think I missed the news that you got married! (I knew you were engaged) I remember your previous Thanksgiving tales with the (now) in-laws.  Good luck!

Thank you all! 

[ciao_yall]

Don't know yet.

Our big day is the Friday after called "Leftover Surprise." Everybody brings leftovers and wine - it's a blast! Not happening this year.

For the two of us, I was going to roast up a turkey breast or thigh, but DH just confessed he doesn't like turkey. At all. WHAAAAAA?

[the_geneticist]

We are staying in and cooking a feast for two.  I am very glad that we live far enough from family that they are not tempted to surprise us by driving to visit. 
I grew up having a small Thanksgiving so I'm actually looking forward to it.  Plus, I am an excellent cook and I can enjoy making everything from scratch.  No canned gravy or boxed mashed potatoes in this household!