Edhat Staff
By edhat staff
The Thanksgiving holiday is a bit more than just turkey and pie, it’s a historical event that began with the settlers of the Plymouth Colony and their Wampanoag tribe predecessors in 1621.
According to history, the colonists and natives shared an autumn harvest feast, and for more than two centuries, days of “thanksgiving” were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.
While the feast between the colonists and Wampanoag tribe was peaceful, it’s unfortunately, one of the only instances in American history. Native people were systematically killed by European settlers, effectively wiping out tribes and villages resulting in millions of deaths. Since 1970, protesters have gathered on the day designated as Thanksgiving at the top of Cole’s Hill, which overlooks Plymouth Rock, to commemorate a “National Day of Mourning.”
The Thanksgiving we celebrate today is a lot different than the first. While Americans should acknowledge the atrocities of the country’s founding fathers, the focus has shifted to “what we’re grateful for” paired with watching football and getting the best deals for the following holiday. The NFL’s three-game Thanksgiving scheduled brought in nearly 68 million combined viewers in 2017, and Americans spent more than $5.03 billion on Black Friday online shopping – on top of the billions spent preparing for Thanksgiving itself, according to WalletHub.
However, this year the Thanksgiving holiday is drastically different. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced families to celebrate apart and/or virtually to keep everyone safe.
The Center’s for Disease Control (CDC) offers some tips on how to celebrate safely.
Everyone Can Make Thanksgiving Safer
Wear a mask
- Wear a mask with two or more layers to help protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
- Wear the mask over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
- Make sure the mask fits snugly against the sides of your face.
Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you
- Remember that people without symptoms may be able to spread COVID-19 or flu.
- Keeping 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Wash your hands
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Keep hand sanitizer with you and use it when you are unable to wash your hands.
- Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Attending a Gathering
Celebrating virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice this Thanksgiving.
If you choose to attend a gathering, make your celebration safer. In addition to following the steps that everyone can take to make Thanksgiving safer, take these additional steps if attending a Thanksgiving gathering:
- Bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups, and utensils.
- Wear a mask and safely store your mask while eating and drinking.
- Avoid going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as in the kitchen.
- Use single-use options, like salad dressing and condiment packets, and disposable items like food containers, plates, and utensils.
Hosting a Thanksgiving Gathering
Celebrating virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice this Thanksgiving.
If having guests to your home, be sure that people follow the steps that everyone can take to make Thanksgiving safer. These steps include:
- Have a small outdoor meal with family and friends who live in your community.
- Limit the number of guests.
- Have conversations with guests ahead of time to set expectations for celebrating together.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and items between use.
- If celebrating indoors, bring in fresh air by opening windows and doors, if possible. You can use a window fan in one of the open windows to blow air out of the window. This will pull fresh air in through the other open windows.
- Limit the number of people in food preparation areas.
- Have guests bring their own food and drink.
- If sharing food, have one person serve food and use single-use options, like plastic utensils.
Consider Other Thanksgiving Activities
Host a virtual Thanksgiving meal with friends and family who don’t live with you
- Schedule a time to share a meal together virtually.
- Have people share recipes and show their turkey, dressing, or other dishes they prepared.
Watch television and play games with people in your household
- Watch Thanksgiving Day parades, sports, and movies at home.
- Find a fun game to play.
Shopping
- Shop online sales the day after Thanksgiving and days leading up to the winter holidays.
- Use contactless services for purchased items, like curbside pick-up.
- Shop in open air markets staying 6 feet away from others and wear a mask.
Other Activities
- Safely prepare traditional dishes and deliver them to family and neighbors in a way that does not involve contact with others (for example, leave them on the porch).
- Participate in a gratitude activity, like writing down things you are grateful for and sharing with your friends and family.
We call it;
Thanks-for-nothing day..
As one can understand why.
So, at least try to be nice for one day..
kill us tomorrow.