Thanks & Giving

The holiday season is upon us but the reality is, how much celebrating will anyone be doing in this season? According to ABC11 News, currently, we are seeing numbers in North Carolina rise upwards of 4,000 cases in one day for breaking records since the onset of the pandemic. There are over 1,400 patients currently hospitalized for COVID-19 and another almost 4,800 who have passed away. One ZIP code, 27610, which stretches from southeast Raleigh to Garner, has the most numbers in the state, which is also an underserved area comprised mainly of minority, low income families who are going out to work daily because they are deemed essential. How can we really be thankful, and what can we do to give? 

[pullquote]How can we really be thankful, and what can we do to give?[/pullquote]

This Thanksgiving, and most likely Christmas, will look very different. We are being asked to keep celebrations between those in the immediate household and if you are going to attend a dinner, those numbers can’t exceed 10. Rules of engagement for dinner are no longer long hugs and close conversations as the expectations of wearing a mask is still involved, especially if those in attendance do not live in your household, and it is recommended to keep those dinners on the outside or open windows if inside, according to the CDC. Bring your own food, utensils, condiment packages and salad dressings and limit exposure in and around the areas where food is being prepared. So, if you must spread the cranberry sauce with the family, try testing early before you go. Take precautions as you prepare this holiday season as homes are now a high source of transmission of the virus because ventilation is usually not as effective there as commercial buildings such as restaurants. 

It’s been a year of stress, social distancing and sacrifice for many of us, and the need to be around those we love is natural, but this year we have to be thankful that many are still here. And with that in mind, give them the opportunity to continue that way by following the rules. Not your typical holiday dinner, but a way to ensure that you are giving yourself and your family something meaningful in this season and that is safety. Thanksgiving is not just a day for gratitude and thankfulness but in this moment, in this year 2020, we now have a new appreciation for the many heroes without capes that walk among us. We can now say in the darkest of times, strength and love always wins. Warmth and blessings, from us to you!