Let me tell you about my friend Christine. She and her husband, José, are find-a-way people. They’re resourceful and thoughtful (and surprisingly good at ceramics). When life hands them lemons, they make limoncello. Like the rest of us, they occasionally get sad or discouraged, but they always fashion a way to make do.

So, I wasn’t remotely surprised when they mentioned their pandemic Thanksgiving plans: Zoom bingo (prizes included). Coronavirus makes it near impossible to safely travel to see loved ones this year, but an online gathering, with a dash of competition, offers another way to connect. Added bonus: Pre-pandemic, they wouldn’t have had a holiday merging her family, which is spread across the United States, and his relatives, many of whom live in Puerto Rico. Zoom bingo gets everyone in the same “room.”

We asked Lily readers to share their plans. Dig into their responses below. And if you’re struggling to think of a safe way to celebrate, check out our low-risk recommendations. (Or ask Christine.)

 Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

…

 Christine Sulat 

73, Elmira, N.Y.

“My boyfriend and I usually go out with his 92-year-old father, but don’t plan to do that because of the virus. I’ll be home by myself and plan to buy a good pumpkin pie and half-gallon of Breyers vanilla ice cream and go to town. I may wash it down with some sparkly white wine. That’s a great way to spend any day, not just Thanksgiving.”

…

Denise Alden 

57, Eagan, Minn.

“This year my plan is to not celebrate Thanksgiving. I’ve come to this decision after a few years of learning more about this holiday — how it was fabricated, entrenched and commercialized so that the only meaning it has for me now is closer to an Indigenous Day of Mourning. I may have been blinded by my privilege for decades and enjoyed making the big meal, with its once-a-year specialties, but that doesn’t mean I can’t learn and change. I am not celebrating, or acknowledging, this ‘holiday,’ and I’d invite others to investigate and learn more about its true nature.” 

…

Rai Copeland-Keefe 

58, Deerfield, Ill.

“Going to celebrate with just my husband and three young adult kids this year, one of whom is still in college. But I am prepping and cooking for nine of my other family members who live locally. We are going to cook our turkeys and make the desserts and then prep all the sides, package them in foil and ready-to-heat containers, and then deliver all that to each family.” 

…

Low-risk recs

We whipped up a few celebration ideas for a variety of circumstances. This is by no means a comprehensive list of scenarios, but it’s a start. 

Hate Zoom but want to connect with faraway family? 

Mail letters to your loved ones ahead of the holiday and ask them to send letters to you. Open the letters on Thanksgiving morning.

Spending the holiday alone? 

Schedule calls or Zoom gatherings with family or friends throughout the day. Consider planning the conversations around meals so you feel like you’re breaking bread together (for instance, try a breakfast chat, afternoon snack and dinner or dessert date).

Missing someone you’d typically spend the holiday with who recently passed away? 

Do something to honor your loved one: prepare one of that person's favorite dishes, send a donation to a cause that person would have supported or start writing down your most treasured memories together in a journal.

Don’t feel like cooking? 

Order from your favorite restaurant, or try a Thanksgiving meal delivery service.

Not inclined to travel far but craving a new setting? 

Plan a short getaway, either solo or with those in your household, and pack your own sanitizing supplies to be safe. Book an Airbnb an hour or two away for a couple of days, or give yourself the gift of a night alone in a nearby hotel if you need a break.

Find additional reader submissions and recommendations here.

ICYMI

Three need-to-know stories

01.

President-elect Joe Biden expanded his electoral lead over President Trump with a projected win in Arizona, a state where local Indigenous organizers helped mobilize Native voters.

02.

A nude statue of feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, unveiled in London last week, sparked backlash from people who saw it as counter to Wollstonecraft’s legacy and beliefs.

03.

The Miami Marlins announced they hired Kim Ng as their general manager, making her the first woman and the first Asian American GM in Major League Baseball.

Good news

A story to make you smile

The Washington, D.C., gym members didn’t know they had an audience. But every day, all day, a 90-year-old woman was keenly observing. Tessa Sollom Williams, a former professional ballerina whose eighth-floor apartment at an assisted-living facility faces Balance Gym, watches the outdoor fitness classes from her window, often with a cup of tea. She often begins about 7 a.m., when the first workout begins, and keeps watching until the final workout session ends at 7 p.m. Tuning into the training sessions has had such a significant impact on Sollom Williams, who lives alone, that her daughter wrote a thank-you email to the gym, writes Sydney Page in The Washington Post. In response, the staff and several volunteers painted an outdoor mural honoring Sollom Williams and any other onlookers. The mural’s message? “Keep Moving.” 

Watch now

The latest from our video team

Atlanta history teacher and Howard alumna Brittney Caldwell gathered 10 of her female 11th-graders last week on the first school day since Joe Biden won the presidential election. The group discussed Georgia’s blue swing and if they think Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris’s historic victory will change things for Black women in America. Watch their conversation here.

Have travel questions?

The Post has answers.

Traveling has always come with complications: missed flights, lost luggage, mysteriously canceled reservations. But the coronavirus pandemic upped the ante on those anxieties as people weigh how to travel as safely as possible or if it is ethical to even be traveling at all. By The Way, The Washington Post’s travel initiative, wants to help travelers navigate the chaos and dilemmas with expert-backed advice. Submit your travel questions here, and By The Way tips reporter Natalie Compton will get answers.

Until next time

But before we part, some recs

María Alconada Brooks

Art director, The Lily

What I’m watching:

“Carmel: Who killed María Marta,” a new Netflix documentary series that explores the 2002 death of María Marta García Belsunce, an Argentinian sociologist from a wealthy family. Her death was thought to be an accident, but five bullets were found in her head after she was exhumed.

What I’m trying to learn:

I have always wanted to learn how to play guitar, so last week I decided my new, small goal will be to learn one song by the end of the pandemic. I feel so sorry for my boyfriend, who will have to teach me and bear with me, but at least I picked this beautiful song to learn.

What I recently sent as a birthday gift:

This cute puzzle from Whiled, illustrated by London-based artist Tess Smith-Roberts. My sister loved it.

🖤

Thanks for reading.