Ideas for a responsible Thanksgiving celebration


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Thanksgiving is a time of celebration with family and friends. Many of us have long standing traditions and are having to reevaluate them during the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic. Team Newman has a few suggestions to help with your Thanksgiving plans.

Go virtual! – The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving is with a virtual get-together. Facetime, Zoom or Google Meet with your friends and family. While this will not be the same as getting together in person, a virtual celebration is the best way to limit the spread of COVID 19. One way to have a communal virtual experience is to share recipes and make it feel like you are sitting down for the same meal together. Plan a time for everyone to join a Zoom call and brag about what delicious food they are cooking!

If meeting in person, limit the number of people and time spent together – Most of us are used to a large Thanksgiving party, but it is in our best interest to limit the amount of people attending in person. Getting together for a limited amount of time is also recommended. One idea is for people to get together for a dessert only party. This can help keep the amount of exposure time down.

Wear your mask and keep a safe distance – If you do plan on getting together for Thanksgiving, make sure to wear a mask and maintain social distancing. It will also be important to wash your hands frequently. If you are hosting a Thanksgiving party, communicate the expectations ahead of time so the guests can be prepared.

Small safety precautions can go a long way – Regularly disinfect common touchpoints, including door handles, bathrooms, tables and counters during a Thanksgiving get-together. Have one person serve the food instead of everyone handling the serving spoons themselves. Use disposable plates, cups and utensils so they can be disposed of right after the meal. Setup multiple small dining tables so family units can eat together instead of everyone being around one table. Keep a limited amount of people in the food prep area. 

Celebrate outdoors if possible – Unfortunately, the current weather forecast for Montana shows temperatures in the 30s on Thanksgiving, so having an outdoor celebration might not be feasible. If possible, maintain a flow of fresh air inside the home by opening windows often.

Reschedule your celebration – With travel restrictions and family members at high risk, it may not be feasible to have a Thanksgiving celebration. If so, plan a celebration for the warmer months! Prepare all the normal Thanksgiving fixings when it is safer to get together!

Plan, plan, plan – Take the extra time to plan safety precautions before people arrive. Stock up on disinfecting tools, soap, hand sanitizer and masks. Make a plan and set up the area to allow for social distancing. Utilize as many disposable items as possible. Set reminders to disinfect common touch points regularly. Communicate your plan with everyone attending so they can help you execute it. 

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