How to Count Your Blessings Together Online This Year

Thursday, November 19, 2020 Posted in Community, COVID-19, Memorial Health Hospitals, Seen on Social

Plan to enjoy turkey and all the fixings but move your extended gatherings online this year and protect your friends and loved ones from the COVID-19 surge.

“We recognize how much people anticipate and enjoy coming together at Thanksgiving,” said Gina Carnduff, system director of Infection Prevention for Memorial Health System. “Unfortunately gathering together this year has to be approached with an unrelenting focus on safety. That means limiting contact to only those in your immediate household.”

For those who have never hosted a virtual event before—how exactly does it work? Here are links to easy “How-To” tutorials for the major platforms that will enable you to host your virtual gatherings with family and friends.

Host a Virtual Gathering

Apple FaceTime
Facebook Group
Facebook Messenger Rooms
Google Hangouts
Zoom Meeting (Zoom will allow for free video calls and no time limit on Thanksgiving.)

Wondering which activities might lend themselves to an online version? Consider these ideas:

Thanksgiving dinner:

If you are close enough to porch deliver (contact-free) your favorite dishes, assign a distribution time and then join back together on-screen while you eat dinner. Remember to use your mute button when people are actually eating … or discussing politics!

Coffee and dessert:

If dinner seems daunting, arrange for a time after the main meal when everyone can cozy up for coffee, dessert and conversation. Consider breakout rooms for the rowdy cousins to connect!

Count your blessings:

Invite younger guests to draw a picture of what they are thankful for and share online for the group to enjoy. Ask the more senior guests to share memories of their most unusual Thanksgiving celebrations.

Attend Memorial’s Festival of Trees, virtually!

View and vote on the decorated trees and wreaths on Facebook. Or have the kids download a Festival coloring book, “Flat Santa” or find other fun activities here.

“The bottom line is we want all of our families to return to Thanksgiving tables next year intact, not with empty places at the table,” Carnduff added.

Memorial Health System is thankful for the community’s efforts to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Help Stop the Spread of COVID-19

Download a COVID-19 recommendations handout to share with family, friends, community members, employees and others. Following the handout recommendations can help slow the spread of COVID-19. Stay up-to-date on COVID-19 information at ChooseMemorial.org/covid19.

Thanksgiving during COVID-19
Memorial’s Festival of Trees Virtual This Holiday Season
COVID-19 and the Flu

Memorial Medical