Thanksgiving during COVID-19 - The Rider Newspaper

Mass communication senior Laura Juarez (standing, third from left) with her family during last year’s Thanksgiving celebration. Members of her family include (from left) Ilianna Juarez, Audrey De La Garza, Arturo Guerra, Susie Garza and Roxie Gonzales.
Photo Courtesy Laura Juarez

Fernanda Figueroa | THE RIDER

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many UTRGV students’ Thanksgiving celebrations will be different with some changing their plans due to health and safety concerns.

For Laura Juarez, a mass communication senior, gatherings at her house usually involve 15 of her family members but this year that might change.

“Usually, my family and I, we always do [Thanksgiving] at my parents’ house,” Juarez said. “It’s usually only my mom’s side of the family. I don’t know if the same amount of people are coming, usually it’s like 15 people but hopefully it stays the same. I think if we do have the same amount of people we’ll make sure that everybody has gotten tested so we don’t spread [COVID-19].”

Despite the uncertainty around Thanksgiving plans, this year has made change a normal thing for Juarez, to the point where she sees it as “par for the course.” Yet, she is looking on the bright side and reveling in the chance of a less stressful Thanksgiving.

“I think there’s definitely an upside,” Juarez said. “I could definitely save money and, like, the hassle of having to go to H-E-B. It’s always stressful for my mom as well because she makes the turkey and everything, so there’s definitely a stress factor that would be reduced if we didn’t have as many people over.”

Mass communication senior Oscar Calvillo’s Thanksgiving plans have changed, with his extended family not being able to visit due to his father testing positive for COVID-19 and his whole family quarantining at home.

“My dad tested positive,” Calvillo said. “[Our] Thanksgiving party will just be at home because there’s no family over because we can’t anymore, or not right now, at least.”

Mass communication senior Oscar Calvillo (left) takes a photo with his family during last year’s Thanksgiving meal. Also shown are Noelia Calvillo, Sabina Bhanderi, Miguel Calvillo and Jorge Calvillo.
Photo Courtesy Oscar Calvillo

Anthropology senior Kathia Rodriguez’s Thanksgiving plans will not include her sister, who lives in Chicago. Despite the fact that her plans will not change, she does think that Thanksgiving for most families will look different.

“Literally, [it’s] just my parents, my brother and I would say my sister, but [she] lives in Chicago so she can’t come,” Rodriguez said. “I feel, though, like, there’s going to be a shift in how people kind of switch up their plans for Thanksgiving. I feel like it might be smaller due to people being afraid of COVID spreading.”