The CDC Just Issued Guidelines for How to Celebrate Thanksgiving Safely

The socially-distanced holidays start earlier every year.

COLE SALADINO/THRILLIST
COLE SALADINO/THRILLIST

Some Thanksgiving customs will remain unchanged despite the pandemic. Like, say, draining the wine supply and gossiping about your cousins -- whether you're doping so IRL or via video chat. But coronavirus has impacted many of the ways we can celebrate. So the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has released a set of guidelines to keep us safe for turkey day.

The CDC's holiday advisory is intended for use in conjunction with existing local safety precautions. And while the safest bet is obviously to stay put (no travel) and celebrate with your own household, the organization has provided a comprehensive list of low-risk, moderate-risk, and higher-risk activities for Thanksgiving. Here's what to know. 

Lower-risk activities: 

  • Throw a small dinner party with your own household. 
  • Whip up some traditional recipes for the holiday, but avoid contact when delivering them to neighbors and family members. 
  • Host a virtual dinner party and share recipes with your guests. 
  • Online shop for Black Friday and Cyber Monday instead of hitting up the mall IRL.
  • Watch football, Thanksgiving parades, and movies from home. 

Moderate-risk activities: 

  • Host a small outdoor dinner, rather than gathering indoors. 
  • Follow the CDC's previous recommendations for gatherings if you're going to attend or host. 
  • Visit a pumpkin patch or orchard -- but be sure to wash and sanitize your hands, keep a safe social distance, and wear a mask. 
  • Attend a small outdoor sporting event while ensuring proper precautions (i.e. masks, sanitizing, etc.) are in place.

High-risk activities: 

  • Shopping in crowded stores on Black Friday. 
  • Participating or attending a crowded race like a Turkey Trot -- I'd rather stuff my face than run a 5K anyways. 
  • Attending a parade. 
  • Using alcohol drugs. Both can cloud your judgement and lead to poor social distancing, sanitation efforts, etc. 
  • Attending a large indoor party with people from outside your own household.

Let's just all thank our lucky stars that stuffing our faces full of pumpkin pie and Stouffer's is a safe Thanksgiving tradition.  

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Megan Schaltegger is a staff writer at Thrillist.