It’s natural to want the perfect holiday, with the entire family full of love and laughter as they gather around the dinner table.
But that’s not always the reality, local therapist Kari Miller said.
And this year, more than ever, it’s important to adjust expectations. The coronavirus pandemic has put wrinkles in everyone’s plans, as families debate the benefit of gathering together versus the risk of exposure to a potentially deadly illness.
“We have this cultural perception that these holidays are supposed to be picture perfect, and rarely are they. A pie burns. Someone says something hurtful at the dinner table,” Miller said.
“COVID has really been stressful, but we can look for alternative ways to connect to our families, near and far, that can be as creative and unique as our families.”
The CDC recommends celebrating virtually or only with a household (those who live together).
Dr. Brian Neely, with Allen County Regional Hospital’s Iola clinic, said he is worried about increased spread of COVID-19 as families gather for the holidays.
Increased infection reports followed summer holidays like Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Neely worries that will happen again, especially as local cases have continued to rise in recent weeks.
Some relatives might be traveling from areas where the virus is even more prevalent.
“It’s a big risk and something we have to be careful about,” Neely said. “If people wear masks now, perhaps we can decrease the spread. We have a solid month where people are going to want to get together.”
FAMILIES may want to continue traditional gatherings, which could put them at risk of exposure, Dr. Sarah Boyd, a physician with the Saint Luke’s Health System who specializes in infectious diseases, said.
Opportunities to gather outdoors, which decreases risk, may be limited because of cold weather. The forecast for Thanksgiving indicates temperatures could reach the low 60s, but with a good chance for rain.
Still, there are ways to adapt your holiday plans, Boyd said.
“Maybe in a few years we’ll look back and laugh about that one year we had a Zoom Christmas or a Zoom Thanksgiving,” she said.
“Think about the risk factors: where you’ll be going and if there are things you can change. Maybe it will be 70 and sunny, and you can have something outdoors. In the Midwest, that’s always a possibility.”
