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Blog by Sarah Biekert, Punctuation Prodigy Local regulations have changed significantly since Thanksgiving last year (with a bit of back-and-forth). We know many of you aren’t ready for a big indoor gathering this year. We’re big fans of finding a way to celebrate no matter what – so here are 10 non-traditional ways to observe Thanksgiving 2021.  1. Share a meal with a neighbor. This isn’t a new tradition, but it’s especially suited to this year. Many of your older and/or immunocompromised neighbors have been spending lots of time alone for the past year and a half. And, let’s face it – most of us, whether we live alone or not, could use some extra kindness these days. What better way to cheer someone up than to bring over a warm Thanksgiving dinner plate? 2. Share a meal with a stranger. The pandemic has also been especially isolating for those who are homeless. If you have qualms about giving out cash, why not share a warm meal instead? Prepare a few extra plates this year, and give them to others in need. 3. Drive-by decorations. To share some holiday cheer with anyone who drives by, consider decorating your yard or home exterior for Thanksgiving. Purchase your own decorations for a DIY project, or hire a company like Card My Yard for decoration and cleanup services. You can even order decorations for a loved one’s yard! Card My Yard Wellington serves Fort Collins, Laporte, Windsor, Timnath, and Wellington; Card My Yard Greeley serves Greeley, Evans, Windsor, Severance, Johnstown, Milliken, Eaton, and Loveland.  4. Video call with built-in games. New video-call apps are multifunctional. Developed with the pandemic in mind, apps like Bunch and WAVE allow you to video chat while playing real-time screen games with participants. Game options range from family-friendly classics like Uno and Scrabble to video games like Call of Duty. 5. Or...play a board game on video with friends and family. If figuring out a new app sounds more like a chore than good entertainment, use the video platform you’re most comfortable with and play with a real board and cards. Make sure the other participant has the same game available. Bingo is an easy video call game for all ages; simply take turns calling. You can even find Thanksgiving-themed Bingo games. 6. Simultaneous movie night. Cue up a Thanksgiving film or favorite holiday movie while on the phone with a friend (make sure to press play at the same time!) or use an app like Teleparty (previously Netflix Party) that synchronizes video playback for a group and adds a group chat (compatible with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO. 7. Send thank-you notes. Thank-you notes aren’t just for Christmas and birthdays. Take some time to consider the people you are thankful to have in your life, and make Thanksgiving an opportunity to show them how much you appreciate them. Show gratitude for friends, family, coworkers, and your neighborhood trash pickup workers and postal workers. A handwritten note is always extra meaningful. 8. Recipe exchange. Switch things up a bit this year by adding someone else’s favorite recipe to your Thanksgiving meal. Before the holiday, swap a recipe with a friend or family member who won’t be at your house for Thanksgiving. Each participant cooks the other’s recipe – extra fun if you’re on a video call while you’re doing it. You may just find a new favorite recipe.  9. Outdoor games. Colorado weather permitting, let the family burn some energy (or calories) with outdoor games. Outdoor air circulation means you can invite the neighbors over, too. Games like cornhole, Badminton, horseshoes, and charades are fun for adults and kids. 10. Surprise someone with their very own parade. Cooped up grandparents and at-risk family and friends will love watching from the front porch as you drive by in decorated cars or strut down the sidewalk (in full costume, of course). Share some Thanksgiving cheer with those who aren’t comfortable with or able to leave the house this year. Happy Thanksgiving from the My Big Day team! Put our team in charge of your next private, corporate, or nonprofit event and have decades of combined marketing and event planning experience at your disposal. Contact us to get started.  Contact MBD Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken  Looking for some ideas on how to host Thanksgiving, but need assistance getting creative during a global pandemic? My Big Day has a helpful list for you! Keep it small - The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is with just your immediate family. Traveling is still considered risky - hotels, airports, planes, and gas stations are more crowded during the holidays. Hold your immediate loved ones close and sit down for an intimate dinner featuring everyone’s favorites. Swap recipes - Try something new and feel closer to your family at the same time by swapping recipes with grandma via email or text. The 2020 holiday season may leave your relatives – particularly the older and more vulnerable – feeling lonely. Involve them by reaching out for recipes or decorating tips and spending time on a phone or video call while you’re cooking. Go virtual - In addition to individual video and phone calls, many creative planners are already gearing up to host Thanksgiving dinner virtually on a simultaneous video call. Invite friends and family (you can even send a paper invitation, if you want to be fancy) to gather around the (virtual) table and eat together. After all, what would Thanksgiving be without Aunt Judy’s unsolicited advice and Grandma’s etiquette corrections?  Enjoy already-COVID-friendly traditions - There are plenty of Thanksgiving activities that are already COVID-friendly: watching parades and sports on TV, playing family board games, and going for a walk or run post-turkey. Others can be modified, i.e. moving your Black Friday shopping online this year. Give thanks - There are countless activities to be found online (check out My Big Day’s “Saying Thank You” Pinterest board [https://www.pinterest.com/MyBigDayEvents/saying-thank-you/] for some of our favorite ways to say thanks) to encourage kids and adults alike to express what they are grateful for. It is especially important this year to remember what we do have, when so much seems missing or different. You may surprise yourself and find that you appreciate Thanksgiving this year all the more for its simplicity and quality time at home.  Finally, if you must invite someone from outside your household: Host outdoors - Try moving your festivities outdoors (weather permitting). Not only is it a fun change of pace to spend the day outdoors in the fresh air, it reduces the risk of COVID spreading among your party. If you’re feeling adventurous, try a barbecue-style Thanksgiving dinner.  Clean before and after - This is another one that’s important if you’re hosting a guest from outside your home. You’ll want to be extra-diligent this year about cleaning your home and, especially, dinner table before and after your guest arrives. Make sure you take the same approach to bathrooms and doorknobs, known as high-touch areas. Ask guests to wash their hands before they come to your house, and use hand sanitizer when they arrive and periodically throughout the day. Consider a buffet - By far the safest way to host a meal this season is to have each guest serve themselves. Have clean utensils and a plate already set out for each guest, so they can bring them to the buffet rather than reaching into a shared utensil cup or stack of dishes. Consider using disposable utensils, plates, and napkins, or for an eco-friendly approach, ask guests to bring their own place setting from home that they’ll take with them when they leave. Also encourage guests to clean up after themselves by having a foot-touch or already open trash can ready for any unfinished tidbits of food. Mask up - It may feel extreme, but you can reduce the risk of COVID spreading to your family and friends by having everyone wear a mask except when eating or drinking. Remember, the more alcohol people consume, the less likely they are to wear a mask or to wear one properly. If you don’t want to spend the day dishing out reminders, it may be best to limit the alcohol this year.  Get tested and stay home if you have symptoms - Guests who are traveling should get tested before hopping on an airplane and travel only if they have a negative test and no symptoms, to minimize risk to others. The same goes for hosts: Even if dinner is an hour away and the turkey is in the oven, the safest option for everyone is to cancel. Here is a list of symptoms to watch out for:
Stay safe, be creative, and enjoy this (unusual) Thanksgiving!  Contact My Big Day Marketing & Events
Small Business. Big Impact. Phone: 970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 Email Us We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken We love lists! And we LOVE events! We know how helpful it is to find a long listing of all the goings on in our community. Below is our active list of all the events you don't want to miss in November and December 2017 in Northern Colorado. We'll continue to update as we hear of new events! If you have one to add, just email us! 
Timnath Dec. 5th - Town of Timnath Tree Lighting Ceremony The event takes place from 5:30pm-7:30pm, on Main Street in Timnath
Berthoud
Dec. 13-16 - Berthoud Snowfest Berthoud SNOWFEST is a winter festival as well as the sanctioned Colorado State Snow Sculpting Competition held in Berthoud, Colorado on 7th Street (west side of Fickel Park). |
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970-613-1455 or 303-886-3068 EMAIL US
We serve the entire Front Range; Denver, Southern Wyoming, the CO Mountains, and Northern Colorado: Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Windsor, Berthoud, Estes Park, Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, Wellington, Johnstown, Evans, Severance, Timnath, Mead, Frederick, Firestone, Milliken
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