With the pandemic still ranging, Thanksgiving is going to look a little different this year.
In years past, we would have the family over to our house. We would drag an extra table into the kitchen and bring in basically every chair that we owned to seat everyone. It’s not a super big group, but 11 or 12 people really fills our home. After a huge traditional meal of turkey, and sides and various kinds of potatoes, and hard cider and all the pumpkin pie, we would then retire to the living room to watch a movie, yell over each other, or play TV games like Jackbox.
This year, we are planning to have an outside Thanksgiving around my parent’s bonfire pit. Rather than having big bowls of side items, I’m planning to make my fruit salad in individually packaged bowls. Instead of dressing down in short sleeves as I try not to melt making a bunch of different dishes, we will be bundled up in layers depending on the weather. Of course, in Maryland we could have anything from a mild day in the 60’s to snow… so who knows what to expect.
Of course, we aren’t in charge of weather so we have a ‘rain date’ of Friday if Thursday turns out to have nasty weather. All in all, I’m pretty excited about having an outdoor picnic around a roaring campfire. An outdoor picnic with PUMPKIN PIE!
Speaking of bonfire, we also have plans for a Thanksgiving weekend bonfire with the other side of our family. I’m trying to keep it as ‘easy’ as possible by providing s’mores makings and having it be BYOB for drinks. We will put some chairs and benches around our fire pit for a visit with Travis’ sisters and their spouses. To keep things as safe as possible, I plan to separate s’mores makings into baggies for each family group to grab. And I’m also planning to bleach the heck out of our downstairs bathroom once everyone leaves.
I know that everyone’s Thanksgiving is looking a little different this year — whether you are having it just with those who live in your house, getting together with your small COVID pod, or having a small get together socially distanced and outdoors like us. However you plan to celebrate, please be as safe as possible. Wear your mask, don’t double-dip and wash your hands!
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a wonderful and safe visit with your family. I am planning on seeing my sister and niece around Thanksgiving, and just having a small Thanksgiving, on the day. At any rate, it will be fun and a nice break from thinking about this past year. I am trying to concentrate on this coming year. I think it will be better. At least, I hope so.
Nancy