With Thanksgiving nearing, students and faculty are getting excited for their usual festivities. However, with COVID still prevalent, they are having to make adjustments to their plans so they are more COVID friendly.

The CDC has released a list of Thanksgiving celebration guidelines that they request be followed to ensure that the virus is managed. 

These guidelines limit the number of people in a gathering, limit the amount of travel, list actions to be taken while at gatherings, and provide recommendations for other activities that you can do as an alternative to your accustomed plans.

The county is still honoring the traditional Thanksgiving break, but many of the holiday’s usual celebrations will look quite different due to these guidelines.

Traditionally, students and faculty would get together with friends and family to celebrate the holiday, but this imposes the risk of spreading the virus. This may be the first year not having a get together for some.

“Usually we host 20 to 30 family friends at our house,” junior Madeline Dosen said. “But this year we are limiting how many people come over and we’re also not going to have as much food.”

The virus is not only affecting students and faculty who want to get together with friends, but also those who typically get together with family.

“Normally I celebrate with my grandparents,” junior Megan Brown said. “But they will not be coming this year due to COVID.”

These changes have caused a lot of wonder as to if Thanksgiving will look even somewhat similar.

“We always host Thanksgiving for a big group,” Dosen said. “So I’m not sure what it will be like with just my family.”

No matter the changes that the guidelines may bring, students and faculty still look forward to all that Thanksgiving will bring.

“It’s been a tradition in my family since I was little,” history teacher Stratton Shartel said. “It’s a great time to just get together with family and reflect on what we are grateful for.”

Regardless of how you decide to celebrate the holiday and all the festivities it brings, CDC guidelines should be followed to ensure the safety and health of everyone in the AHS community. 

Activities may be limited, but the true meaning of the holiday remains: to think about all that you have to be grateful for and give thanks.