Playing it safe during a pandemic has been a reality for most of 2020. As the year has progressed, the initial fear and precaution have given way to frustration at the daily impact the virus has on our lives. Unfortunately, this aspect is likely to remain until a vaccine is approved, introduced, and the world can slowly return to normal. It also means the holiday season must be altered.

If there is anything people dislike, it’s being told by the government how to live. The desire to rebel against control is as strong as it’s ever been after months of being told to engage in virtual learning, postpone vacations, reschedule weddings, limit the number of attendees at funerals, and keep from visiting loved ones in the hospital. Now, government officials are urging people to dramatically scale back Thanksgiving plans or cancel them entirely. The disappointment is palpable. Somewhere in between going about business as usual and changing things entirely is a balance that too many are unable or unwilling to find.