Thanksgiving is a time for filled bellies and loud laughs across a table mounted with foods specific to your family and friends taste buds. Relishing in each other’s gratitude over a meal is tradition kept close to many, which is why when the pandemic hit it took the special essence out of our quarantine Thanksgiving. Now though, as the world takes strides in moving forward, and past the global pandemic there is still some conversation left to be had about one of our most intimate holidays.
Returning back to a ‘normal’ Thanksgiving is a challenge among many other tasks after coming back from a world paralyzing pandemic. Making extreme boundaries with physical contact is most likely something you wouldn’t normally do with your close family, however this is something many are putting into consideration this holiday season.
English teacher John Penola said, “I feel like Thanksgiving is an opportunity to show my gratitude and appreciation for family and friends while sharing delicious meals”
This perspective from one of our school’s educators shows the anticipation and joy weaved into the holiday seasons and how they affect us personally.
Penola continues, “My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is friendsgiving pizza with a couple of buddies, this and last year though, we decided not to because of the pandemic.” While many like Penola want to keep a lowkey Thanksgiving again in fear of COVID-19 and worsening its cases. Others and definentley majority are going to be returning to a normal holiday season.
Senior Alicia Pileggi says, “I think this year’s Thanksgiving and holiday season should be celebrated the way it used to be, we already had one year that we missed out on.” Multiple students and some faculty at KHS agree with Pillegi and her opinions on this holiday season. There is a very evident split between many this Thanksgiving, depending on how they feel about the currently subsiding pandemic. Finding a balance between wanting to fully emerge into the holiday experience as usual, and the reality that there is a possibility that someone may be exposed to COVID-19 or the new Delta variant.
Holidays are a time where family and friends can take time to appreciate each other and unwind with each other’s company, so when the pandemic took this away from numerous homes; there is an understanding that people don’t want to socially distance anymore for the new holiday season. Discussing this issue as we get closer and closer to the holidays is not only a hot topic, but one that many at KHS are very open about.
An Instagram poll was conducted asking KHS students to vote between ‘yes’ or ‘no’ in question to ‘Should people celebrate Thanksgiving this year with friends/extended family?’ This poll lasted 24 hours and a total of 62 people voted. 53 said yes, and nine said no.
