Pandemic Thanksgiving: How Will You Spend It?

With the inability to gather with family and friends this Pandemic Thanksgiving, how can we make it a special time for those we love and ourselves this year?

Here are 7 Ideas to Create YOUR Memorable Thanksgiving:

1. Thank God First – Brew a cup of coffee or make hot chocolate (my drink of choice) and find a pen, paper or journal. Choose your favorite quiet spot, hopefully before anyone else awakens and get comfortable. Now, take a moment to remember that regardless of the difficulties we face in our world, we all have something for which to be thankful. Begin by making a list of these things. God has graciously given us so much that we so often take for granted…food in our mouths, a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and a life of purpose to live. In the silence thank Him for these things as well as His Presence, purpose and plan for your life and that of those you love. What a great way to start this Thanksgiving celebration!

2. Share a Thanksgiving Gift – Who says birthdays and Christmas are the only times to exchange gifts? If you are not alone in your home, choose a small token of your appreciation prior to Thanksgiving Day for each person. Attach a note to this gift sharing why you are thankful for him or her and how this item represents that thought. It doesn’t need to be large or expensive. It truly is the thought that counts.

3. Arrange Facetime, ZOOM, or Google Hangout with Family and Friends – Whether we like it or not, technology is here to stay. The Pandemic has made sure of that. It offers a way to visually communicate when it is otherwise impossible. If you’re still struggling with the technology, ask a relative or friend to send you a request and then explain to you how to respond. Or “Google it” to learn how to do it. When you talk, share one thing you love about each person or a special Thanksgiving memory each person holds dear as you spend this special time together.

4. Send an Animated Greeting to Friends – Have you ever seen a Blue Mountain greeting card? I love them. Something I really enjoy is finding the perfect musical, animated card to send on Facebook and Messenger to friends I love but rarely or never see. Even as I see their names and prepare to send the messages I pray for them. The special delight I feel in remembering wonderful times shared fills me with a unique warmth at Thanksgiving.

5. Write a Note of Gratitude – What a perfect time to write a note of thanks to someone you really care about. Share your gratitude for their part in your life and the impact they’ve had in your life.

6. Create the Most Unique Meal Ever – When my husband and I realized no one would be joining us for Thanksgiving, after the initial emotion of grief, we both started to imagine the meal we would actually really love to eat instead of the traditional turkey and dressing. We live on Maryland’s Eastern Shore so we love seafood. We’re going to purchase lobster and shrimp for our special Thanksgiving meal. I’m going to make recipes I’ve found lately that I’ve never tried. I’m excited for the freedom to do something creatively different! Or you may not want to cook at all. Warm up something easy to prepare and be thankful for a cooking break!

7. Decorate for Christmas – In the past our family created a unique holiday tradition we called ThanksChristmas. So that my married children didn’t have to struggle over where and with which relatives to spend each holiday, I combined the two. They would come, share a Thanksgiving meal and then the next morning when the grandchildren awakened, we would decorate for Christmas. The following morning we would celebrate Christmas with the Nativity story, opening of presents and a Christmas meal. The kids loved having two Christmases and I loved this very special time together. Though this won’t be possible this year, I plan to decorate for Christmas on Thanksgiving Day so my husband and I can experience the joy of Christ together every day ahead.

One very difficult year, as a gift my mother created a “Gratitude Journal” which she gave us for Christmas. We were to chronicle the things we discovered to be grateful for throughout the coming year. That might be a fun Thanksgiving Day project for you to create as a first gift to share this Christmas.

Don’t let the Pandemic and the need to quarantine rob you of the joy of the holidays! In a world where everything is changing daily, remember, God is with you and He hasn’t changed. He promises,

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

“I the Lord do not change. “ (Malachi 3:6)

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:16)

“But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.” (Psalm 33:11)

This Thanksgiving during these stressful, ever-changing times, we can be thankful that we belong to a God who does not change and forever keeps His promises!