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If you’re an American citizen, you probably know what Thanksgiving is. On the off chance you don’t, here are a few key details: turkey and pumpkin pie, family, giving thanks and, of course, having a four-and-a-half-day weekend. In normal times when the world isn’t in the midst of a pandemic, celebrating Thanksgiving is often a big event. Everyone celebrates differently, but a “typical” Thanksgiving usually looks something like a family reunion where teenagers risk the chance of having to sit at the kids’ table, if movies are anything to go by. But big gatherings are so last year and spreading the virus was never a trend, so what exactly are people doing this year for Thanksgiving?
I’m one of those people who’s the last to know about anything going on around them. So it’s no surprise that despite Thanksgiving being just a few days away, I have no idea what the plan is. At least, no idea what the final plan is since the original is three changes away from what I last heard. On the bright side, I’m not the only one. When I asked around about students’ plans for Thanksgiving, almost every answer I received started with “I don’t know.” Luckily, some answers ended with, well, a proper answer, so I can confidently say that a majority of the student body at BHS will be staying home with their family for Thanksgiving, with a few exceptions. Some will be traveling to other family members’ homes for small (safe) celebrations. Activities for the day will hopefully look something like a normal, pandemic-free Thanksgiving. This includes watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, cooking for a minimum of three hours (or taking the untaken route of eating cereal for dinner), watching football, playing games, and, of course, eating.
But while it may be common for teenagers to have no clue about family plans, adults (specifically teachers) are quite the opposite. Perhaps it’s the fact that adults are usually the ones making plans, or maybe once you’re older you finally join the loop. Either way, I reached out to several staff members from BHS and was blessed with answers of the multiple-sentence variety. For example, our AP computer science principles teacher Ms. DeOrio will be spending Thanksgiving with her family down in Monmouth County. Mrs. Henry, a history teacher, will be cooking a variety of dishes from baked scallops to green bean casserole to apple and pumpkin pies for dinner with her husband and siblings. If you need ideas for a gluten-free Thanksgiving feast, look her way. Ms. McBride, who used to go to her aunt’s for Thanksgiving, will be switching things up this year and staying home with her immediate family. But she will be seeing her parents for a socially distanced dessert.
Whether you’re staying home, visiting family, or ditching Thanksgiving altogether, hopefully your day is a good one. I’m crossing my fingers that next year we’ll be out of quarantine and able to celebrate holidays normally, but if 2020 has taught us anything it’s that you really can’t predict the future.
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