
Thanksgiving: Will You Be Serving the Traditional Turkey Dinner This Year?
At last, weโre faced with the reality of Thanksgiving in year 2020 โ the year we all canโt wait to see end. For Americans across the country, Thanksgiving is that day when families come together โ young and old โ to celebrate their thanks and gratitude. Itโs that holiday that does not rest on religion. Itโs a holiday of thanks no matter what you believe.
This year itโs ever-so-different. Even my family, across four states coast to coast, will only be gathering via Zoom. This pandemic has derailed everything that we have come to expect as tradition. But I believe that by following CDC guidelines, we can make a difference, stop the spread of this insidious virus and still be grateful.
Iโve been conducting an informal survey of people I know who, like me, wonโt be traveling. Many of them will be alone in their homes. Some are sad to be alone on such a special day, while others are actually fine with it and welcome the chance to just relax.
โWhat will you do that day? Will you cook? Eat turkey? Order in? Drink? Or some combination of everything?โ
Hereโs a sampling of answers:
โNo turkey for me that day. Iโm making a big steak.ย And Iโm starting the day with pancakes.โ
โWeโre thinking crab legs โyeah, those sound great.โ
โTurkeyโs too hard; Iโll grab some chicken breasts and throw them in the oven. I might even make a salad.โ
โIโve got my frozen turkey pot pie all ready to go.ย Is it too early to thaw it out?โ
โI know it doesnโt really represent Thanksgiving, but a prime rib of beef sure does sound good. But a prime rib for one?โ
โWeโre vegetarians so we plan to fill up on beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and maybe even pumpkin pie.โ
โCooking is not my thing, so weโre just going to order in dinner of turkey and mashed potatoes. Plus plenty of wine.โ
โThis will give me a chance to make macaroni and cheese and skip the turkey. I like to make it from scratch, and now Iโll have the time to do so.โ
โWe plan to make something easy and then just watch football and movies. Turkey sounds delish, but itโs really too much trouble this time. Maybe pizza!โ
โCanโt wait to sit by the fireplace and enjoy turkey and sweet potato-stuffed pierogies.โ
Though COVID-19 has landed a major blow to families everywhere, it has given us reason to pause and take stock of what we are grateful for. The fact that so many of us can still talk about celebrating Thanksgiving, even if alone this year, is a gift. Not the case for hundreds of thousands across the country.ย
And so, I will celebrate this year โ perhaps with a Butterball Turkey Breast โ which I just happen to have on hand in my freezer, and lots of Zooms and FaceTimes with friends and family everywhere.
What will you do? Let us know!
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Prime rib. Turkey is never that good no matter what you do with it. Contrary to what Pilgrims want us to think, we figure Thanksgiving was invented just to sell turkeys. Itโs a great day to spend with my husband and make a few phone calls to family and dear friends. Oh, and wine. Lots of wine!