Thanksgiving Plans

McLean students and teachers wrap up the week for a long Thanksgiving break

Deborah Miller (Jacob Miller's mother)

Jacob Miller was celebrating Thanksgiving with his family when he was younger. Now, COVID limits us to who we can be with during Thanksgiving.

Kaan Kocabal, Reporter
November 27, 2020

With Thanksgiving and other holidays just around the corner, students are eagerly finishing schoolwork and attending their last classes of the week in order to have a relaxing break. The break begins November 25 and ends November 30 with Thanksgiving and Black Friday included in the time off.

McLean students either have plans to go to another state or to be around family and relatives. Although COVID has interrupted Thanksgiving for many, the spirit of the holiday won’t stop families from spending time together. 

Junior Jacob Miller will be celebrating Thanksgiving in a safe and fun way.

“Normally my entire extended family comes to my house for Thanksgiving. This year, it is going to be the first time with just my family,” Miller said.

Typically, families celebrate Thanksgiving by getting together with others and eating traditional Thanksgiving food–in large amounts. Some of the most common dishes that are eaten are turkey, mashed potatoes, pies and more!

“I am going to make steak for Thanksgiving and my mom is going to make pumpkin pie,” Miller said.

As COVID cases rise, it’s becoming harder for families to come together knowing the risk of contracting the virus. Many families are forced to celebrate on their own, bringing a feeling of disappointment to a holiday normally filled with joy.

“For families that live far from each other, such as mine, it’s hard not being with them, but it is the best for everyone’s safety,” Miller said. “We have lived through this hard time for many months now so Thanksgiving shouldn’t be hard to get through.” 

Another student plans to travel to New York over the Thanksgiving break to see his family. 

“Over the weekend after Thanksgiving, I am going to the Hampton’s with my family. My mom’s sister owns a house there and we will be visiting her for four days,” sophomore Gage Lyons said.

His family planned on leaving this week to New York to have Thanksgiving with his aunts, cousins, and uncles. But due to an unexpected conflict, he and his family will have to celebrate on their own.

“We are going on Friday and not earlier because I have a soccer game on Wednesday. For this reason, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving as a family, then traveling,” Lyons said.

Lyons loves to participate in water activities with his brother and cousins. In the past, this has been his favorite way to spend time with his family and he’s excited to do it again.

“At our time in the Hampton’s, we are going to do water sports such as tubing,” Lyons said. 

English teacher Susan Copsey will also be spending time with family over Thanksgiving.

“I will be spending Thanksgiving with my husband and two children,” Copsey said. “I will be teaching my children how to make some of our traditional Thanksgiving recipes. Lots of cookies, cakes, and pies!”

When Thanksgiving is over, Christmas will be just around the corner with people already getting into the spirit. Copsey cites Christmas as another important holiday to her and her family. Despite the challenges brought forth by the pandemic, she is eager to celebrate. 

“We always break out our Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving,” Copsey said. “It’s a wonderful and joyful family time!”