Without a doubt, everything is different this year.  

From the different variations of school, online or in person but physically distant and shortened days to minimize social time. 

Working from home.  

Dining alfresco at 25% capacity.

Worried about every cough and sneeze.  Daily temp checks.  Soon will this all be considered the new normal?  When the pandemic is over, if it will ever truly be over, will we return to the way things were? 

Thanksgiving and the holidays are no different to change.

With the CDC recommending to not fly to see family.  Not to congregate in large groups.  

How will you celebrate Thanksgiving?

Let’s go back to basics. 

What exactly is Thanksgiving?

It’s a feast shared by English colonists (aka The Pilgrims) and Native Americans to celebrate the harvest and blessings of the last year.  According to legend, the Pilgrims were in dire straits. The first winter that the Pilgrims landed on American shores, many stayed on the boat, where many succumbed to scurvy and infectious disease.  Only about half survived to see the Spring!

A Native American, named Squanto, helped the settlers to cultivate corn, extract sap from trees, avoid poisonous plants.  Basically, how to survive in this new land. After the first harvest, a celebratory feast was organized.  A 3-day event! Now, they did not have pies and cakes and such that are now symbols of Thanksgiving.  We’re not even sure Turkey was actually on the menu.  But it was a feast indeed.

So, the Pilgrims endured extreme hardship when coming to this new land.  Sadly, many perished before they met Squanto and learning farming techniques. 

So, even if we can’t physically see our loved ones.  We can celebrate.  We do have many things to be thankful!  

Just a few blessings to keep in mind:

A house to make a home

Loved ones around us

Health (hopefully:0)

Wonderful food to eat

Thankfully not living out the winter on a boat in Cape Cod.  Whew that had to be cold!

What are you thankful for?