Thanksgiving amid a pandemic: Here’s what people are thankful for

With Thanksgiving approaching on Monday many will have time to relax and reflect on the unprecedented year they’ve just endured. 

The challenges, uncertainties, anxieties and changes continue as a global pandemic wears on with no real timeline for a return to a previously normal life.

Some will host, some will visit, with gatherings and big dinners on the menu. 

Earlier in the week Health Minister John Haggie told the province it was OK to gather with loved ones for the holiday, with a few helpful reminders to keep the possibility of spreading COVID-19 at a minimum. 

“I would suggest that you keep it at a family gathering, particularly bearing in mind if you have elderly relatives or family members who are immunocompromised,” he said.

“These people are particularly vulnerable, and it would be important to make sure that the people who were mixing with them, you felt comfortable.”

Haggie also said that if you’re feeling ill, don’t go out or host any sort of gathering. 

“If everybody follows those simple guidelines, I think we can keep our risk as low as we can,” he said. 

On Friday CBC News took to Churchill Square in St. John’s as people were stocking up on vegetables from a stand set up by Fagan’s Farm.

Dinners, families and thankfulness

Leslie MacLeod said she’s preparing for a feast this weekend, but her gathering will be kept small.

“We’re still going to do the traditional meal with the local turkey from Glovertown, vegetables from a variety of different farmers,” she said. “The house is decorated, and we’re going to do what we normally do with five people instead of 12 or 14.”

Christa King-Bolivar said she’s heading to her mother’s this Thanksgiving for a large dinner with relatives. 

“That’s one thing I appreciate my mother for. She tends to take in the ones who don’t have the families to take them in. Anyone who doesn’t have spouses or children she takes them into her table,” she said. 

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Bernadette Cocker said she’s keeping things small this year, hosting a traditional turkey dinner with salt beef, for her three children, their spouses and two grand-children. 

“I normally just have my own, but sometimes it might extend to extended members of the family,” she said. “But we’re just staying close to home this Thanksgiving.”

Lucas Fagan will be heading to his grandmother’s for turkey dinner on Monday. 

“I like the potatoes and carrots,” he said. “I’m thankful for being with my family during the holidays.”

Leslie Vryenhoek said not much is different for her this year. A gathering with a small group of friends is on the agenda. 

“[We’ll be] having a nice time, probably a little more socially distanced this year,” she said. “Not a huge change because we don’t have a big family here anyway.” 

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