Since the COVID-19 breakout, normal Thanksgiving celebrations and traditions have been halted as a result of CDC guidelines which advised many not to gather for any indoor celebrations due to health and safety reasons. CRLS chemistry teacher Mr. Gupta told the Register Forum, “During the COVID year, it stopped our families from getting together for Thanksgiving.” This struggle of not being able to get together with loved ones over the holidays took a notable toll on many, changing Thanksgiving celebrations for years to come. 

 In an article titled “Declining Mental Health,” the New York Times explains that the interference of COVID-19 with social gatherings has negatively affected peoples’ outgoingness and overall happiness. However, with COVID-19 restrictions being lifted over the past year, students have been able to return to in-person school, adults to their regular work environments, and communities to a place where safe gatherings can happen. Considering this, CRLS students and teachers are hoping that despite the marks the pandemic has left, they might be able to resume their yearly traditions. 

For many, the Thanksgiving break is a time to relax, spend time with relatives, and enjoy a blissful break from school and work. During the height of COVID-19, this wasn’t the case.  Victoria Chavez ’25 tells the Register Forum the ways in which her normal Thanksgiving celebrations were affected by COVID-19, describing, “[My cousins and I] eat, and we talk, and we goof around, and it’s very fun, but because of COVID we haven’t been able to do it for the past two years, so it’s still a question if we’re gonna be able to do it this year, too.” 

Despite the difficult conditions that the pandemic yielded, some students were still able to find ways around them. Leyah Bernard ’25 detailed, “Last year, I got to see my cousins. We just played football in Boston Common and it was pretty fun.” When asked what advice she would give to others struggling to get together with their families for Thanksgiving, Bernard concluded, “[Come] up with solutions. Like if they’re a lot of people and you can’t be in a room, just go outside.” 

As another year after the pandemic passes by, COVID-19 is seemingly being put on the back-burner, but this does not erase the fact that it has somewhat permanently changed peoples’ lives. Holidays like Thanksgiving, however, have always been a time of comfort and relaxation. Despite uncertainty and inexperience around celebrating holidays after the pandemic, it looks like this year can be a time for rebuilding and reconnecting with family.

When asked how he hoped his students would celebrate the Thanksgiving break, Mr. Gupta emphasized, “With their families, I feel like the way it works for me, it’s a time to get together with families and connect with families and so I would hope the same for my students.”

And if you’re scrambling to figure out what to bake for the holidays this year, Chavez and Bernard have you covered: “Pies!”

This article also appears in our November 2022 print edition.