University of Illinois Extension
Put thankfulness in your Thanksgiving holiday season
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[November 25, 2020]
As families take precautions to keep everyone safe this
Thanksgiving, favorite holiday traditions are getting a fresh
perspective. University of Illinois Extension family life specialist
Cheri Burcham encourages families to make the most of Thanksgiving
2020.
How do we demonstrate our love for family, friends, and neighbors
without gathering together? "There are many ways to enjoy the
upcoming holiday," Burcham says. “The main goal during this time is
to connect with others, but in a safe way that will preserve
everyone’s health so we can continue to celebrate in the future."
Watch the same shows: Whether it's watching the shortened
virtual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade or watching the NFL's
Thanksgiving day games, use technology to watch the parade,
football, or holiday movie "together" from separate households.
Send a letter: People still love to receive notes in the
mail, Burcham says. Share recipes, photos, or favorite memories of
past celebrations. Seniors, who are most vulnerable to the
coronavirus and have likely been the most isolated this year, may be
feeling especially lonely and hopeless. This can also be an
especially tough time for family caregivers, so be sure to show your
support.
Deliver meals: Safely cooking, packaging, and then delivering
food to others, especially to those who have been more isolated, can
be a good alternative to eating at the same table. Check-in on
friends, family, elderly neighbors, and others in your community who
might need some extra support.
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If you’ve been stress baking, or want to do some holiday cookie-making with the
kids over break, consider packaging some up and dropping them off on doorsteps.
Drive by to see fall or winter decorations: Drive through the
neighborhood to see any fall decorations or early Christmas lights. Have kids
make simple decorations like hand turkeys and put them in the windows for
everyone to enjoy.
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Get outside: Follow this Fall Nature Scavenger Hunt to get your kids
excited about spending time outdoors.
Talk about gratitude: Keep gratitude front and center this Thanksgiving, no
matter where you’ll be, or with whom you’ll be celebrating, encourages Tessa
Hobbs-Curley, Extension family life educator. “This year, our attitude needs to
be centered on giving people grace about their decisions and focus on expressing
gratitude and thankfulness in a variety of ways, even if the holiday looks a
little different. When we express what we're grateful for, we often find our
thoughts focused on people instead of things."
[SOURCE: Cheri Burcham, Family Life
Educator, Illinois Extension
SOURCE: Tessa Hobbs-Curley, Family Life Educator, Illinois Extension
WRITER: Nicole Stewart, Communications, Illinois Extension] |