Thanksgiving or Christmas?

As the holidays are approaching, and the laws are more and more restricted, people are wondering, what are we going to do about holidays? With new laws in place, you can only have ten people at gatherings for pretty much anything, and can’t stay out past 10 pm for restaurants. 

For big families, this is a pretty major setback, as everyone has been waiting to see their families for almost a year now. Personally, my family hasn’t been together since last Christmas, and that was only half of them. A big family holiday seemed to be what everyone was needing, and now it seems impossible. 

After speaking to a few people, it seems like Thanksgiving is something that people would rather be with their families for. Christmas is something that being with just your immediate family is better. Adelaide Kline said, “I like Thanksgiving with my entire family. When we realized we wouldn’t be able to have that, it was just another disappointment that this year has brought, and I’m not surprised.”  Many people saw this coming. Whether they thought they wouldn’t be able to travel to another state or be able to see their families, it’s still upsetting. A friend from my last job comes from a family where she has 27 cousins, and holidays are their favorite part of the year. She comes from a family of 6, so they’re almost at the limit to begin with. She said, “You know my cousins are my closest friends, and being able to get everyone together a couple times in the year is the reason we stay so close. Thanksgiving and Christmas like this aren't going to be the same.” 

This is just one more thing that 2020 is bringing to the table this year. Something that is said more often than it should be is “I’m disappointed, but not surprised”. This is something that has been said since about May, and it hasn’t seemed to go away. Brenna Dorsam had said, “My family isn’t that big, but getting to see them makes the holidays less stressful”. This is something that most people would probably agree with. Being around other people in your family can make things easier or harder depending on your family dynamic. Most people probably want to see their families right now, considering how long it’s been. 

Hopefully by Christmas there will be some changes made. If the country stays this restricted, people aren’t going to be happy with that. By next month, the vaccine may be approved. That would bring more hope and excitement for 2021.