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Thanksgiving - 2020 Edition

Thanksgiving is a week away and we are looking forward to spending time with family around the dinner table. But, in the midst of the pandemic, the norms of Thanksgiving like travel plans, large gatherings, or going to parties have been canceled or replaced with safe practices in this holiday season. With that in mind, the youth, young adults, and the SPAN youth facilitators shared what their Thanksgiving will look like in the midst of a pandemic. 

The youth were polled on what will their Thanksgiving dinner look like this year. And, all of the youth had the same plan which was to have an indoor but small gathering with family or friends. They all shared the same sentiments, to spend time with their immediate family or close friends without risking any exposure to COVID-19. 


During the discussion, a few of our youth shared that they, normally, would have traveled to visit family in different states, particularly in the South, like North Carolina, Virginia, or Georgia. They would enjoy a few days of Thanksgiving vacation with the whole family gathered. Unfortunately, with travel being heavily restricted and large gatherings discouraged by local governments, these plans, at least for this year, had to be shelved. However, despite this, everyone in the SPAN Youth Chat was still in high spirits because they are grateful to still have a Thanksgiving dinner with loved ones.


So what are YOUR plans for this Thanksgiving? Have they changed a lot, or is it still business as usual at your house this year? Please let us know what your holiday looks like in the comment section below. As always, join us on the youth chat, every Wednesday at 3:300 - 3:30 PM. And bring a friend! Our community is getting bigger every week, and we are always looking for new voices!

Author,
Jeremy Hayer

Resources:


  1. The SPAN Youth Chat: the-span-youth-chat

  2. CDC - Celebrating Thanksgiving: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html

  3. 8 Ways to Celebrate a Virtual Thanksgiving During COVID-19: https://www.connecticutchildrens.org/coronavirus/8-ways-to-celebrate-a-virtual-thanksgiving-during-covid-19/

  4. Subscribe to SPAN's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SPANAdvocacy

  5. Link to SPAN's website: https://spanadvocacy.org/

  6. Link to SPAN’s Youth In the Know Resource Page: Youth in the Know

  7. We’re here for you!  Call SPAN if you need assistance: 1-800-654-7726


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