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Post by autumnmist on Nov 15, 2020 9:28:21 GMT -8
The closest relatives are keeping the holidays close, as one daughter plus BF are recovering from Covid; a grandchild is in quarantine, and realistically, none of us want to get together under the circumstances. The other closest relatives are in WI, and that's just too long a drive given the anticipated inclement weather we get both in Michigan and Wisconsin. If I had a James Bond car I might be able to soar across Lake Michigan, but alas, I have no such fancy vehicles.
In addition, the last several holidays before my father died weren't the same after my mother and sister passed. We both lost interest in the celebrations we used to enjoy - the old guard in the family are all gone now.
I plan to spend quiet days with working on downsizing or just enjoying reading, accompanied by music and coffee (which I don't make very often anymore.) I've thought about resurrecting one tradition, that of making Turkish coffee, if I can remember the instructions. Staying home doesn't bother me, and since in this area it's just me, it's actually preferable to driving in a Michigan winter. I do plan to dig out the holiday songs and both listen to and practice them on piano, which over the years has been somewhat neglected.
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Post by burntfoot on Nov 15, 2020 11:00:57 GMT -8
Thanksgiving is easy. My family with my parents who live 4 houses away. I am SO glad they moved here from Wisconsin 6 years ago.
Christmas is a tragedy, however. For years now, our plan for this Christmas was to visit my wife's extended family in the Philippines. She has not been back there for Christmas since I met her in 2006, and this was to be the year. But, the Philippines is on a lock-down. A 14-day quarantine upon landing in Manila, followed by another in the province we are headed to. Buses are now running again. But, they require both face masks AND a face shield. I pretty much know I'd get approval from the school district to extend my vacation (under the once-in-a-lifetime clause), but even that would be eaten up with the logistics of quarantine and travel. So, we may or may not go a year from now, depending on how things look by late summer.
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Post by hikerjer on Nov 15, 2020 11:19:05 GMT -8
since my wife and I still haven't gotten our smell or taste back yet, Boy, Thanksgiving without a sense of smell or taste. That's pretty ironic and cruel. Hope you have a great one regardless.
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davesenesac
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Post by davesenesac on Nov 15, 2020 12:07:33 GMT -8
As a septuagenarian, there are just 5 of us left from my nuclear family with 4 passing into eternity including parents and my dear sister who passed this May from pneumonia on an oxygen ventilator. Two remaining brothers often have a thanksgiving dinner however this year as a cooking ignorant guy I'm just going to go down to a supermarket and buy one of those 24 ounce Marie Callender frozen turkey dinner packages I'll pop into the microwave. With snow now piling up at Tahoe ski resorts, I'm in a waiting pattern locally until they open up the first week of December.
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jazzmom
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Post by jazzmom on Nov 15, 2020 13:05:59 GMT -8
Our "pod" family friends and we've decided to have Thanksgiving dinner together. There will be six of us, us parents and adult kids, no other family members or extras.
Covid numbers here in Michigan have been alarming though I think the county imposed lockdown on the college students here (Ann Arbor) made a difference. Our hospital here in town seems to be doing much better than those in the western part of the state.
I'm expecting Christmas to be just my son and I (and our dog, of course.) We're perfectly OK with that. If there's any possibility of travel, we're heading to Death Valley in January.
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Post by autumnmist on Nov 15, 2020 16:57:00 GMT -8
davesenesac, I'm sorry to learn that you lost a sister earlier this year.
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bcpete
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Post by bcpete on Nov 15, 2020 18:49:29 GMT -8
We normally try to visit my wife's family in Minnesota during US Thanksgiving, but it's been impossible to visit the USA from Canada since April. I'm just hoping that my wife's elderly parents don't die until a vaccine is out because it would be extremely difficult to get my wife there right now. That said, I'm horrified and appalled at the 'christians' in their small town who refuse to wear masks and social distance. A town of 500 people where everyone knows everyone ... and my in-laws haven't been able to go to their church since this whole thing started because many people there refuse to wear a mask.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Nov 16, 2020 5:16:47 GMT -8
I'm very reluctant for the gathering to occur since my city is exploding with the virus. That's probably safer than you going to see them. How much exposure would they have with the average local?
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Nov 16, 2020 5:20:10 GMT -8
We typically go to my in-laws (wife's father and step-mother) every Thanksgiving. We're doing the same this year, but not spending the night, and it will be a smaller gathering with just us, them, and their son. That will all change if there's an outbreak at our kids' school, etc.
My wife's mother lives in our village. She and her new boyfriend just came back home (he's moving in with her) after spending about 6 weeks at his place in Chicago. Their first order of business was to unpack the moving truck. Their second was going to the supermarket, which they followed with going to the local restaurant, then church. Grrr. Needless to say, they're not happy that we banned them from coming over to our house for 14 days.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Nov 16, 2020 5:20:15 GMT -8
We are just a family of four. Normally we cook a big bird and lots of food. My wife has nine brothers and sisters. Some come for dinner and depending travel plans others stop by to nibble and drink. Unfortunately not good behavior in a pandemic.
We are going to still do a big bird. I hear small ones are hard to find this year. Leftovers and soup are its final fate after our nuclear feast.
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gabby
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Post by gabby on Nov 16, 2020 21:09:27 GMT -8
We'll have a quiet holiday at home, both times. Ditto. I'd really like to go somewhere, but not now. My brother keeps asking if I'll come visit at his place (out in the country), but his county is much freer of covid than here in Austin, and, though I'm not sick, I'd be really upset if I carried anything to him and his family. So, not happening.
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Post by hikerjer on Nov 16, 2020 21:35:31 GMT -8
How much exposure would they have with the average local? Not much if I have my way. I'm going to insist that every one stay in the house or the yard except for maybe some walks in isolated areas. Defintely not going out for drinks like we usually do on the Friday following Thanksgiving.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Nov 17, 2020 5:38:31 GMT -8
Not much if I have my way. I'm going to insist that every one stay in the house or the yard except for maybe some walks in isolated areas. Defintely not going out for drinks like we usually do on the Friday following Thanksgiving. The past few years we have done a Turkey Trot in the morning. It's the oldest continuous Turkey Trot in the country, and typically draws 4,000-5,000 participants. The kids love the atmosphere, and it gave them something to train for. Needless to say, that's not happening this year. So we'll go back to our prior tradition... and go for a hike at one of the nearby parks. We'd typically be out there for a couple hours and only see a handful of people.
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Post by absarokanaut on Nov 18, 2020 18:09:50 GMT -8
Unfortunately I work with folks that refuse to honor the mask LAW here in Jackson and all the !@#$heads at the markets, etc. I will not go over the Divide and risk infecting family there. I'm kind of a loner anyway so this isn't a big deal. Hoping to get out to New England after I get vaccinated. I understand that could be well into next year. Hard to believe I'm probably gonna go a full year without going to the Silver Dollar or any bar or restaurant.
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on Nov 19, 2020 6:13:32 GMT -8
The holidays are going to test my will to live this year. On one hand, we have my parents, who insist on making every single event like something you'd see on a hallmark movie. They won't let COVID stop that tradition. They go back and forth on a daily basis between being anti maskers and saying we are all going to die of the virus if we aren't careful. Then you have my wife's parents, who aren't normally awful, but this year with the politics and COVID are being excessively terrible. They think COVID is a hoax. One of them has had it and the other likely did, but refused to get tested.
My wife and I are at fault because we easily cave to pressure in order to try and keep our parents happy and our holiday's drama free for our kids sake. I have no idea how we are going to proceed with these obligations without some sort of issue.
Thank you to all the parents out there who prioritize their kids & families well being over your own desires and need for facebook memories.
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