Thanksgiving is a beloved tradition for many American families. This holiday brings good food and the people who we are thankful for together. With COVID-19 surging across the country, it’s an excellent time to try other methods of this holiday without losing its magic through a virtual setting. 

A virtual Thanksgiving can be done in several ways, the easiest using either Zoom or FaceTime. Zoom would be the best route for those looking to host a bigger call with more than five people who may not have access to FaceTime. The first 45 minutes of a Zoom call are completely free. This method also allows for more guests a family might not have over every thanksgiving because of extensive traveling. Zoom is a fantastic way to celebrate Thanksgiving virtually with a massive group of people. 

If people are looking to go in the route of a smaller Thanksgiving, FaceTime is a very useful option. Whether it’s for a group of friends or just immediate family, iPhone users have this option right at their fingertips to make a small virtual Thanksgiving a memorable one. 

In terms of food, everyone has the freedom to dish up their personal favorites, without worrying about what other people might enjoy or their dietary needs. 

As people are getting ready to dig into their meals, it’ll be a treat for each individual to show off what they made through their cameras. If members of the virtual Thanksgiving all live close to each other, they can drop off some of their homemade food safely by leaving it on their porch so everyone has a chance to try out everyone’s dishes 

Thanksgiving also comes with NFL games. Virtual participants can still enjoy the slate of games throughout the day virtually with the usual appetizers and fun comradery. Families can still place bets on the games and have a fun competition to see who comes out on top with more money in their pocket. 

A virtual Thanksgiving also provides a great opportunity for families to discuss how they are handling COVID-19. Maybe a family member has found a new TV show, a new cooking recipe or even a new online shop. Despite how bad this pandemic has been, people are expanding their horizons and trying new things and a virtual Thanksgiving is a perfect opportunity to expand our horizons even more. 

Not having a traditional Thanksgiving isn’t the most enticing prospect but, COVID-19 is still active and the ideas for a fun virtual Thanksgiving are there to keep our loved ones and the rest of our communities safe.