Much like last Thanksgiving, we are once again facing the impact of Covid-19 with holiday planning. Everyone wants to be with their family and friends over the holidays, but there are still some pandemic-related concerns this season. A priority this year is to keep the people you love safe, while still getting to celebrate together. Last year the CDC encouraged people to wear masks, keep celebrations outdoors, and distance as much as possible. However this year, with vaccines being released for certain people and numbers of Covid cases changing, guidelines are also changing.

The CDC urges those who are eligible to get vaccinated to do so as soon as possible so we can return to celebrating holidays freely. Until then, we must take the necessary precautions in order to have fun while staying safe such as keeping windows open, getting everyone vaccinated, and wearing masks. “By working together,” the CDC says, “we can enjoy safer holidays, travel, and protect our own health as well as the health of our family and friends.”

Students and community members were asked about their past Thanksgiving when Covid vaccines were not yet released and the number of cases was still very high, and how it was different for them and what they missed. “We didn’t really have a real Thanksgiving last year, especially with our grandparents”, said senior Tommy Sinclair. This was a contrast to the usual crowed his family expects. “I’d say there’s about 20 or 30 of us, it depends on how many relatives can make it”, said Sinclair.

Shirley Harris, a relative to a student at Thomas Worthington High School, had somewhat similar thoughts to Sinclair.

“It was sad to me because I felt like it had to be small, we had to separate it and so everybody had to sit at a different table”, said Harris.

During Thanksgiving, families cherish the traditions of being able to sit at one big table together. It may seem like a small change, but it really means a lot to some people. Being an older woman, Harris has had more Thanksgivings than the younger generations. She has had more experiences and more memories. Those things really make Thanksgiving special to her.

While Corona Virus has made these past two years challenging for all of us. Still, a very important thing in most people’s lives is family. During these difficult times, we need to lean on each other, and that’s hard to do when we are supposed to be safe and socially distant. Every family deserves to be able to smile and be together during the holidays. “We are the future, and only we can make the future bright,” said senior Gannon Wentz. However, you celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving to the TWHS Community!