As much as we might wish otherwise, Thanksgiving is different this year. With COVID-19 cases across the country on the rise, traveling, mixing households and enjoying a lengthy indoor meal are all risks we just canât condone.
Thereâs no replacement for the warmth and coziness of spending time with friends and family in person, so that’s why we’ve gathered suggestions for fulfilling, distracting or weird things to do to help you get through the holiday. Stay strong, wear your masksâand plan to celebrate extra hard in 2021!âSarah Hotchkiss
Watch Aliceâs Restaurant
Every Thanksgiving, itâs tradition in my house to listen to a full 18-minute version of Arlo Guthrieâs âAliceâs Restaurant.â (Thereâs a multitude to choose from, thanks to many live recordings over the years.) Itâs that rarest of beasts: a song about Thanksgiving magic that people actually want to listen to. Thatâs due in part to the fact that the lyrical âThanksgiving dinner that couldnât be beatâ is merely a jumping off point to talk about the challenges young Americans faced in 1967âover-zealous policing, the draft, and government hypocrisy. Despite being such a product of its time, the song has continued to live because of Guthrieâs casual, rambling, hilarious delivery.
In 2020, thoughâa year in which there will be no Thanksgiving gathering at my homeârevisiting the song alone simply will not suffice. This year, Iâll be turning to the Aliceâs Restaurant movieâcurrently streaming in full on YouTubeâthat came out two years after the song became a hit. Not only is it a reminder that this is by no means the first time American families have found themselves separated by greater forces, it also reinforces the idea that family doesnât always have to mean our literal relativesâwe can make our own.âRae Alexandra
Go On a Hike
This one is so obvious, yet so easy to forget. Getting outside for a hike is one of the best things your can do for your body and your mind, and, being an outdoor activity, itâs mostly COVID-safe. Thatâs doubly true if you can find a lesser-hiked, out-of-the-way trail. In the East Bay, avoid the crowds at Tilden Park and instead head to Joaquin Miller Park, which connects with Redwood Regional Park. In the South Bay, try the trails at Mount Hamilton or the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve. In Marin, donât fight for parking at Muir Woods or Mt. Tamalpais, and instead hike the short, scenic loop at Olompali State Park. And if youâre all the way up in my neck of the woods, in Sonoma County, thereâs plenty of options outlined here, with an emphasis on non-crowded trails.âGabe Meline
Trade Traditional Recipes for Wild Experiments
Since youâre staying home with just your household this year (yes, you are), I encourage you to reject the pressure to cook a universally beloved dish. Instead, try something weird, andâmost importantlyâtime consuming. Nothing distracts like a complicated recipe.
You could take a page from Salvador DalÃâs audacious, surrealist cookbook (one dish combines artichokes, Swiss cheese and tequila). Or turn to Filippo Tommaso Marinettiâs multisensory Futurist Cookbook, which attacks the very notions of goodness and taste. For the truly adventurous, may I suggest the technicolor jiggle of once-popular Jell-O recipes. Iâm particularly intrigued by something called âRing-Around-the-Tuna.â
While youâre thinking about food, and if youâre able, consider donating time and/or money to a local food bank. More and more Bay Area residents are facing food insecurity, and these organizations have been racing to keep up with demand.âS.H.
Plan a Day of Self-Care
Skipping Thanksgiving might lead to a case of FOMO, especially if you check Instagram and see people ignoring public health guidelines and gathering with families. But how can you reframe your thinking and make your day off all about you and your pleasure, whatever that may mean to you?
Turn your bathroom into a spa with an epsom salt bath (or foot soak if you donât have a tub), face mask and your favorite TV show or book. Stock up ahead of time on your favorite snacks and desserts. If you partake in medicinals, an edible may be your calling. Wear soft fabrics or a onesie. Take a crisp, autumn walk while listening to an uplifting podcast. Think about whatever makes you feel warm, cozy and luxurious and let that be your mantra.âNastia Voynovskaya
Find Other Ways to Connect
Tempting as it may be to doomscroll (donât do it!), use technology to connect with loved ones in meaningful ways. Schedule FaceTime dates throughout the day with the people you would normally spend Thanksgiving with, or get creative and hang out with them on Animal Crossing, Jackbox or Houseparty, which has interactive options and games. You can also âeat togetherâ by cooking the same meal in your separate homes.âN.V.
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