Autumn has always been my favorite time of year. The leaves are changing to beautiful crimson and amber colors. The weather is cool and crisp, so I can finally pull my grandma sweaters out of the closet again. And the food! All the seasonal treats that come out – pumpkin everything, peppermint mochas, caramel eggnog, the list goes on and on!
For me, the best part about Fall, has always been being able to get together with my family over Thanksgiving.
We’ve never celebrated Thanksgiving in the traditional sense, but we do take advantage of that week-long break. We all get to hug on each other and catch up. I have a large immediate family and a much larger extended family. My parents had seven children, five girls, then twin boys; when only our families come together it’s still a full house.
And even though we’re very close and talk everyday, not one of us lives in the same city. Most of us are separated in different states.
The Break that Connects
That’s why the holidays are so important. They give families like mine the opportunity to take a break from the hustle and bustle. We can reconnect with those we care most about. We can stop missing each other so much—at least for a little while. And it’s a wonderful chance to see how much the little ones have grown.
But if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that life isn’t predictable. Instead of packing up the car and getting my kids ready to head to my mother’s house in Michigan for a big Thanksgiving dinner, we’re finishing up e-learning and our travel plans have been cancelled indefinitely.
In my own family, multiple relatives have tested positive for Covid. Some have been admitted to the hospital and others are currently sick and trying to recover.
Best advice:
Many American families are experiencing something similar—if not worse, during this collective upheaval. Amid rising Covid infections (now over 12.5 million), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a travel advisory for the Thanksgiving holiday this year. The overall message—stay home. In addition to the advisory, the CDC put out Thanksgiving tips to help families stay safe, that include:
- Delay travel and instead host virtual gatherings
- If families do get together they should limit the number of guest and opt for outdoor dining
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched items and surfaces between use.
- Have guests bring their own food and drinks
My Halal Kitchen’s plan
One such family heeding the CDC’s warning is the Maffei family located just outside of Chicago, IL.
This year I will be spending Thanksgiving alone physically, but I don’t plan to spend the whole day alone, per se. Last year I was in Turkey and couldn’t find the traditional ingredients necessary to make an American Thanksgiving meal, so that is something big to be thankful for this year.”
Yvonne Maffei
Yvonne is an accomplished cook, cooking instructor and cookbook author on the popular site MyHalalKitchen.com. “I will cook a turkey breast, a side of sweet potatoes with butter, green beans with almonds, and homemade cranberry sauce and enjoy that over a phone conversation with my mom then spend the rest of the evening enjoying dessert over a video chat with my dad. Then I plan to call other relatives to catch up and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving,” Yvonne explains.
“It’s the next best thing to being with them physically, and it will help to prevent the spread of anything that could potentially put them in harm’s way. We can be together next year, insha’Allah, when this pandemic is over and everyone is well-protected and safe,” says Maffei.
Despite record high Covid cases and a rising daily death toll, millions of Americans are ignoring the CDC’s ‘stay home’ advisory. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 3 million passengers at airports throughout the U.S. this past weekend. This coming Sunday is expected to be one of the busiest days for airport travelers (since the pandemic started) as people who departed on various days earlier in the week all make plans to return home.
Michigan and particularly the greater Detroit area has been hit hard during the pandemic. ‘Wardah A.’ (name changed for privacy) lives in Dearborn, MI in close proximity to many of her relatives. They do plan to come together for the holiday. “We chose to get together for Thanksgiving as a family, well for me I felt isolated during Covid and really wanted to reconnect,” she says.
The Gatherers
Her family dinner will consist of approximately 30-40 relatives from infants to grandparents who will gather indoors for a holiday feast. When asked if they will implement any Covid precautions, she said that they would. “We will have a hand sanitizer station as people come in the door, and encourage hand washing throughout the evening,” explains Wardah.
One thing is for certain, whether your family has plans to have a typical Thanksgiving this year, or will spend it apart—focusing on gratitude can help lift all of our spirits. Being thankful for everything that we have been given, and for every hardship that has been kept from us can be a source of healing.
The pandemic has made me more conscious of my health and my family’s health. And what a blessing and gift each and every day is.