• Can you shorten the duration of your family dinner? Or consider skipping some of the traditions that go along with the dinner, like watching football.
• You may not be able to social distance completely at a Thanksgiving dinner, and you can’t wear a mask while you’re eating. But you can sit further apart, avoid hugs and kisses, and think about the way the food is served. Open the windows if you can, and spread out more than usual.

However you end up celebrating Thanksgiving, remember that the point of traditions is to stitch together the past and the present. If you decide that the risk to the health of your loved ones is too great, and you must miss this year’s Thanksgiving dinner with them, keep in mind the importance of Thanksgiving plays as a touchpoint for gathering together the years. If all you have this year is a phone call, use the time to reminisce. Don’t ask “Do you remember…”—just tell the stories. Talk about the Thanksgivings of long ago and the Thanksgiving of last year. No canned cranberry sauce required.