Thanksgiving Reimagined: Ideas for Celebrating This Year

Ways to Prepare your Home for Thanksgiving This Year

This year, for most of us, Thanksgiving is going to look and feel different. Though many of us won’t be able to gather with our friends and family as we normally would, there are still ways we can make the holiday feel special.

Decorate & Plan the Menu

It might be just your immediate family around the table this year, but you can still decorate to make your gathering feel festive. Break out the family favorites, like the hand turkeys from your childhood or the ceramic cornucopia. Go ahead, use the fancy napkins or the special dinnerware — small things can help everyone get into the spirit. If you have children in your home, encourage them to be an important part of Thanksgiving preparation by creating some of the decorations and adding personal touches to their seats at the table.

If the traditional turkey and all the fixings menu doesn’t make sense for a smaller gathering, consider mixing up the menu this year. Maybe each family member selects their most favorite side dish and the whole family can enjoy a “feast of favorites” this year. Perhaps you opt for keeping it really simple and order a special take-out meal from a local restaurant. If you want to downsize a regular Thanksgiving dinner, try substituting Cornish game hens instead of a turkey. There are so many options available, including some take-out shops offering a fun “gobbler” sandwich, which is usually a turkey sandwich with stuffing and cranberry sauce – delicious!

Get Outside

Go ahead and enjoy the fresh air! This might be the year to go on that family hike or throw the football around the backyard. Not only will some exercise and fresh air help you make room for dinner or help digest afterwards, it can give you an opportunity to explore the neighborhood, check out the foliage or go on a new adventure. If you’ll encounter people from outside of your household while you’re out and about, practice good safety by maintaining distance and wearing a mask.