Los Angeles

CDC's Unappetizing Thanksgiving Guidelines Include Virtual Dinners, Avoiding Crowded Black Friday Shopping

September 29, 2020 / 9:33 AM PDT / KCAL News

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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Like an unappetizing turkey dinner, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations to stay for the Thanksgiving holiday are pretty cut and dry – stay home with your immediate family, don't go shopping on Black Friday.

STAMFORD, CT - NOVEMBER 24: Central American immigrants and their families pray before Thanksgiving dinner on November 24, 2016 in Stamford, Connecticut. Family and friends, some of them U.S. citizens, others on work visas and some undocumented immigrants came together in an apartment to celebrate the American holiday with turkey and Latin American dishes. They expressed concern with the results of the U.S. Presidential election of president-elect Donald Trump, some saying their U.S.-born children fear the possibilty their parents will be deported after Trump's inauguration. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

To stay safe, the CDC is urging families to stay home and avoid big in-person dinners with friends and extended family. The CDC's lower-risk activities also include having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family online, and watching sports events, parades and movies from home.

And for those who use their Thanksgiving holiday to give back by serving dinner to the homeless, the CDC instead suggested no-contact delivery of homemade recipes family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Another Thanksgiving tradition that the CDC does not recommend is Black Friday shopping. Going to a crowded store before, on, or after Thanksgiving is on the CDC's list of higher-risk activities. The agency suggests doing your holiday shopping online, instead.

All holiday fun is not lost, however. The CDC says visiting outdoor pumpkin patches or pumpkin-themed events, like the giant steel installation at the Citadel Outlets in Commerce, or apple picking orchards where wearing masks is enforced and people are able to maintain social distancing is "moderate risk," along with small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place.