As the holiday season is quickly approaching, many people are adjusting their holiday traditions to stay safe. The world is experiencing a new wave of uncertainty; and with that wave, comes changes to long standing traditions. 

Thanksgiving is a time of gathering with friends and family to give thanks and eat. This year many students and families at South have chosen to stay home instead of traveling to see their loved ones on this holiday. 

Some families have opted to connect with their friends and loved ones over a zoom call to make sure everyone stays safe. Senior, Dani Wartel said she will most likely be chatting with her extended family through the app, but “it’s definitely not the same as being in person with them.”

In past Thanksgivings, Wartel has enjoyed the holiday with anywhere between six to fifteen friends and family members. This year Wartel plans to stay home and enjoy Thanksgiving with only her immediate family members.   

Sophomore, Amara Whalen, has had to adjust a few of her yearly Thanksgiving traditions because of the pandemic. In the past she spent the holiday with over 30 people, but this year that number is limited to three. 

With only three people being able to enjoy Thanksgiving with Whalen, she had to give up her yearly tradition of featuring name tags correlating to baby photos.  

Some traditions, however, will remain. Sophomore, Ava Kellar, normally has two dinners, one on Thanksgiving day with her family and friends, and one over the weekend with her extended family. 

Kellar explained, “We are able to do this because we’re keeping the group small and aren’t having a huge get together like usual.”  She believes this will keep herself and everyone close to her safe by doing so. 

Many participate in the day after Thanksgiving shopping frenzy, Black Friday, because it is known for having great deals. Black Friday typically kicks off the holiday shopping season because so many stores have deals. 

In 2019 the National Retail Federation claimed that 84.2 million people shopped in stores just on Black Friday alone. 

This year black Friday is going to look a little different. Senior, Marley Jackson works in retail at the Polaris Mall.  She said, “The mall is only opening on the day of black Friday, not the night before.” 

Along with Polaris being closed on Thursday night due to Covid-19, a number of other big stores will be closed too. On Thanksgiving, you won’t be able to check out the deals at Target, Best Buy, Dicks, Walmart or Macy’s.

Jackson has said that because of the mall being closed she predicts there will be a mass amount of shoppers on black Friday because they were not able to pick at the deals the previous day. 

Along with stores closing on Thanksgiving day, many have had to make changes to the way that they are allowing people to shop. Many companies offer online deals and some now offer curbside pickup to make sure there is little contact. 

A few small businesses are offering customers to book a shopping time slot and only allowing them to look around and purchase items during this time.  

Kellar plans on going black friday shopping this year, but she has said that she is going to limit the amount of stores she is going to and wear a mask at all times.  

Covid-19 has affected many yearly traditions and holidays, and people are still making adjustments.