Google Doodle highlights a socially distanced Thanksgiving
We can still be together, even if we're apart this holiday.
Forest friends swap Thanksgiving greetings.
On the fourth Thursday of November, Americans pause to reflect and be grateful for various things in our lives. Traditionally, the annual holiday is celebrated with friends and family getting together to share a large feast of roast turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.
But like everything else in 2020, this year's celebration is a bit different. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are limiting their exposure to the virus to others by not traveling and avoiding large gatherings. We can't all be in the same place, but we can all still be together, as shown in Thursday's Thanksgiving Day Google Doodle.
At first glance, the Doodle appears stark, perhaps a reflection of our subdued mood at the close of this difficult year. But as the autumn leaves fall and the sunlight fades in a hazy sky, socially distanced critters prepare their feasts while swapping greetings between tree branches. With its Doodle, Google reminds us to appreciate loved ones both near and far.
Thanksgiving is typically one of the busiest travel times of the year, but because of a surge in coronavirus cases, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially recommends against traveling. But if you are planning to travel, the CDC has updated guidelines for staying safe during the Thanksgiving holiday. The agency also has a list of recommendations for holiday celebrations and small gatherings.
While our furry and feathered friends in the Doodle are using a tin can phone to spread their blessings, your loved ones are just a webcam away today as video chat app Zoom dropped its 40-minute time limit for Thanksgiving. So even if we can't get together, we can still be together.
Happy Thanksgiving.
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