For many, at prior Thanksgiving holiday gatherings, it was the more people, the merrier. Not so much this Thanksgiving. If you are planning on hosting or attending a Thanksgiving celebration, to minimize your COVID-19 risk, here are some things to think about according to the CDC and other sources:
• Will the gathering be indoor or outdoors?
• How long will people be together? Hours? Days?
• How many people will be in attendance?
• What mode of travel will people be using, and are they coming
from areas with high infection rates? (Think about college
students returning for the holiday.)
• Have attendees been wearing masks, socially distancing, and
practicing other preventative measures, and will they do that at
the gathering?
• Are some people at greater risk due to age or underlying
conditions?
And even if you can’t be with family and friends in person, you can join them virtually.
The good news? More leftovers.
And then comes another tradition to re-examine: Black Friday, the traditional start of holiday shopping.
Unlike in years past, major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, ULTA, and Best Buy will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. Given a retailer might see 30 percent to 40 percent of their retail sales in October – December, and being in crowds can be unhealthy, holiday deals will be spread throughout the 3-month period instead of clustered from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
When it comes to what gifts we’ll be giving and getting this year, that too is expected to change. While gifting experiences such as travel, concerts and events, has become more popular in recent years, with the pandemic expect a return to more tangible gifts including electronics, home entertainment, health and fitness equipment, and toys.
Black Friday will still have its share in-person deals, but expect long lines as stores limit the number of people in-store at one time, and prepare to follow safety protocols (using hand sanitizer and wearing masks) in-store.
Overall, online shopping is expected to be very big business from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday. Sales are forecasted to reach $51.1 billion, up 80 percent compared to the $28.4 billion in sales in 2019.
A tradition that has survived the pandemic, with some changes, is Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The show will go on—this is its 94th year— but will be different. The New York City event usually draws 3.5 million spectators, but this year crowds are discouraged.
Instead of the parade from uptown Manhattan to Midtown, the celebration will be in front of Macy’s Herald Square store. The balloons will still be there, but have no human handlers, and guest performances will be taped instead of live. High school and college marching bands won’t be appearing. If you want to tune in, it’s on NBC Thanksgiving Day from 9 a.m. until noon. Wishing you all a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!