I just ordered a big floral centerpiece from a local florist who works out of her house. We’re going to use my grandmother’s china, too. I want to make it a special Thanksgiving, even though it will be small. It’s been small for a few years now - I do miss the big get togethers with my husband’s sister and her family in Brookline. It’s funny how you don’t appreciate things like that until they’re gone.
When I spoke with my my this week about Thanksgiving her response was another holiday ruined. She also told me that she will be flying in December to see her brother in PA again. She drove across country with my dad in June to see him when he was first diagnosed with cancer. I just keep my mouth shut. I know my mom feels they don’t have many years left and they just want to see family.
We are getting together with my parents next weekend outside at a big table by the beach near our home. They will bring their lunch and we will bring ours. Covid does suck, but we are not going to be the ones to put my parents at risk, so outside visits only.
Interesting wrinkle on our end. ShawSon and his GF of five years broke up this summer. He started online dating a couple of months ago. Did Zoom calls to screen (4 per person), then outdoor dates, then narrowed it to three, then decided he liked one and they agreed to not date anyone else. Ah, the romance of dating in a COVID world. A little isolation and then presto-chango: a couple. He asked if she could come to our house for Thanksgiving for the couple of weeks he’ll be staying here. I said, "We’d be happy to have her. If you are coming, biologically we are getting her too. She just needs to be careful for the next couple of week. Both of them are working from home, but she also has roommates. I wonder if she will move in with ShawSon for the couple of weeks before they come. Not ideal, but there we are.
She (along with ShawSon and ShawD’s BF) will join in ShawD’s plans. They will test before getting on the plane. They will stay in an Airbnb for three days and then take a rapid test and a PCR test. Assuming the rapid test is negative, they will be inside with us with masks and when the PCR test is negative, they will be inside without masks.
Right or wrong, we have decided to go to son’s house for Thanksgiving; my daughter and family will join us there. We will be 6 adults and 2 toddlers; 3 of us work outside the home and 3 are work from home.
We are not certain about testing as the little girls will be at daycare on Tuesday and I will be at work. Even if we could find rapid test, and they were negative on Tuesday, that doesn’t mean we are definitely free of the virus. The house is large enough for us to separate when needed, and the weather should be good for outside meals most of the time. We are still working on the details, but looks like it is a go! If it weren’t for the babies, I would not go; love my children, but love the babies more 
It’s official here. Our far away kid will not be coming for Christmas. Our state is discouraging any travel to or from unless necessary. His state isn’t in great shape either. Lots of people will be traveling at Christmas. We are aiming for March instead. ?
We are “floating holidays”. We’ve done it for so many years that it seems natural. Not our usual TG though–sis usually hosts and just can’t this year. So I’ll make up TG meal and haul some around. Good enough!
Not sure when we’ll celebrate Christmas–before or after but probably not day of. Gotta get my head around things. Just not in the mood for anything.
Putting up tree early though–always sparks me.
The gathering guidelines issued on 10/9 do not mention holidays or any specific holidays. They do specify no more than three households, having the gathering outside, etc…
“Guidance is in progress” specifically for Thanksgiving (and other upcoming holidays).
https://covid19.ca.gov/holidays/
The virus will give out the punishment.
We are not planning to gather with anyone outside of our household for Thanksgiving. If the weather ends up being amenable to outdoor dining, I may spontaneously invite my parents to join us for dinner at the last minute, but given that I don’t even care for the traditional Thanksgiving foods, it’s definitely not going to be a turkey dinner.
Looks like slight change in plans. We will be driving to Boston to pick up my daughter to bring her home for Thanksgiving (staying over in a hotel for the night) Her friend will be driving her back (picking her up about an hour from our house). Should still work out fine - she will be home for a week.
My daughter’s company (a major medical facility) just told all employees who are not working from home to please don’t leave the state or invite people over for the holidays.
No extended family or friends this year and I think it’s best. Not only to prevent Covid, but to prevent any negative election talk. It’s what is best for our physical and mental well-being.
@kiddie I’m sorry you are dealing with this…but MA has seen a huge surge in Covid cases. Many, if not most employers are asking that folks not travel. It wouldn’t surprise me if the governor asks this as well.
My kid works in MA and has been advised not to travel OOS at all…or to partake in family gatherings with folks from OOS. Kid works in a hospital. They just can’t take those chances.
I’ll order my meal from an upscale grocery store. On Rosh Hashanah, I ordered 2 meals, and they were terrific. I’m still hoping my cousin invites me over, but I’m not holding my breath. Close friend not doing it this year. My kids will not travel any holidays for awhile.
Actually my daughter is not in the office, so she can travel.
We are in MA. Haven’t been going anywhere really. We had a couple of friends over last weekend - but outdoors only, in the yard, sitting far apart.
We are debating about driving to Ohio to visit our D for thanksgiving. We’d drive straight to her place and then just pretty much hang out at her house for the holiday. Still on the fence about this - D does work in a hospital and definitely has more chances of exposure than we do. If we did go, we’d have to take a test as soon as we get back home.
My brother just called me this morning to say that maybe he can’t come to TG because he has a bunch of in person appointments dealing with a personal business thing he has going on. We had told him he would have to quarantine for two weeks beforehand, and this makes it impossible. On the one hand, I feel bad for him because he lives alone (widower, and spent time since wife’s death with mom who died last year) and also appreciate his honesty about the situation (he adores my kids and grandkid and knows my D is pregnant and concerned). On the other hand, he has bought into the anti-mask contingent, and I just can’t deal with that. A bit relieved I don’t have to deal with his political leanings.
So, probably will be us, our kids including SIL and GD, and my sister–all who can and will isolate for the next two weeks. And who all get the reality of where we are right now.
It won’t last forever. We’ll have a vaccine and for the most part things will hopefully ease up. Christmas might be next March though!
Makes me wonder how many people are secretly happy they don’t have as much stress in preparing for the holidays or having to travel. Not everyone loves to go to big family gatherings.
There were a lot of FB chit chat today about xmas. My extended family of 15+ people have normally spent the xmas week together. This year we are going to do a Zoom wine tasting on Dec 23. We are going to hire the sommelier from my sister’s club to host it. We will then do our regular secret Santa over Zoom too.
H is talking with FIL as I type. FIL mentioned we’d probably better stay home this time (Thanksgiving) because the virus is all around. We’re home for long enough to have isolated the full two weeks before we’d go there and everything is already purchased, but it wouldn’t bother me if we could just stay home and enjoy our place this year. His knee has finally healed enough that he has resumed caring for himself.
H has left it with a “let’s see how things go.” I don’t think he’d mind staying here either, but I know his dad still falls fairly often so there’s that worry. He sprained his knee bad a few months ago. Other falls have been less severe, though he’s told us it can take him an hour to get up sometimes. What if he broke a hip or similar? 92 and living alone with falls sends chills to us - as much as Covid. He wants to remain independent though. Can’t blame him there.
We’re going to continue isolating - just in case.
It seems like every state in the country is in the red zone right now. If it stays like this. we will probably be violating travel restrictions, but will still drive up and get my daughter and bring her home for the holiday. She can not be alone in a studio apartment on Thanksgiving. Because the drive is too long to do round trip in one day, we will stay in a hotel (did this once before to see her - it was safe). Our only outings before and after our drive will be to get fresh food for our meal. It will only be the three of us - won’t see or be with anybody else for the week.
Want to add - all three of us wear our masks wherever we go.