Thanksgiving, this is usually the time of month when everyone gets a break from school, work or life in general. Family, friends and loved ones begin to travel on that day to be surrounded by love. Many will sit down to a feast of all the turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie anyone could eat, however this year may look a tad bit different with the ongoing COVID-19 virus flourishing in many parts of the world.

With COVID-19 on the rise, Thanksgiving can look different for many but the love can still be felt this time of year, there are many alternatives even with COVID.

According to the, CDC many can host a virtual Thanksgiving meal with friends or family who don’t live with them or safely prepare traditional dishes and deliver them to family and neighbors in a way that does not involve contact with others. For example, leave the meals on the porch.

While this may not be the “traditional” way to celebrate Thanksgiving, I think right now with the times we are living in, safety and health should be put first above anything else.

If we put things into perspective, I’m sure all of us will want to hop on a plane or in a car and drive to the parents, grandparents or friends house. However that involves being around big groups and can spike the virus perhaps not to ourselves but to our compromised loved ones.

This virus can be manageable, I think if there is a spike in travel and gatherings this will not only increase the infection rate here in the U.S. but the death rate, as well. Both are already at numbers which are an embarrassment due to lack of consideration and a false sense of privilege.

Put simply, if you choose to travel during the pandemic, so be it. But, if you choose to travel during this Thanksgiving holiday without precautions such as wearing a facemask (above your nose), practicing social distancing and limiting contact then part of the problem will fall onto you, the fellow reader.

Right now, this is a hard time for everyone, some have lost jobs due to the pandemic, some have lost family members but right now I feel it is not a time to be selfish and make the situation worse than it already is.

While this has not been easy on anyone and while we all have lost a lot we all have something to be grateful this year and the best way to celebrate might not be for all of us to join this year but to use alternatives so we can continue to have Thanksgiving for years to come. Hopefully, with all of our loved ones healthy and alive.