Member-only story
What to Do About Thanksgiving as an Expat?
How do you celebrate a holiday that is all about coming together in the middle of a global pandemic?
As an American living overseas Thanksgiving planning has to start early. Who will we invite? Which dishes will we serve and most importantly where will we source the ingredients?
In the middle of a global pandemic for ex-pat Americans as well as Americans at home the questions become more complex all boiling down to one key issue. How do we safely celebrate at all?
The choices people make will run the gamut from pretending the coronavirus doesn’t exist and just doing what they always have done to ignoring the holiday altogether. But most of us will choose an option in the middle.
I love Thanksgiving. I love the food, the hours in the kitchen preparing the day before, eating the day of, leftovers for days to follow. I love getting together with people I care about but somehow never get to spend enough time with. I love the conversations around the table as we eat this massive meal. And when I’m not able to be in the states celebrating with extended family I love to invite friends over to experience this wonderful American holiday.