12 Special Thanksgiving Ideas During COVID

Living through a pandemic doesn’t mean you have to feel isolated during the holiday season. You can still gather with loved ones as long as you follow local guidelines and stay as safe as possible! So how do you go about planning a safe Thanksgiving meal gathering that is still fun and celebratory?

Luckily, we at Peerspace have a few ideas on how you can do just that this Thanksgiving. Here are 12 special Thanksgiving ideas during COVID to keep you safe while celebrating with family and friends.

1. Book a clean and safe space to celebrate on Peerspace

A special Thanksgiving begins with having a special space to celebrate! Peerspace offers large venues (where you can fit more socially distanced family members than you could in your own home) and beautiful outdoor spaces (so you can celebrate safely in the fresh air)! Peerspace venues are also meticulously cleaned by their hosts, so you can rest assured that the space you rent is safe to celebrate in.

So what types of spaces can you book on Peerspace for your Thanksgiving gathering?

• This modern restaurant with gorgeous architecture in Kansas City, MO with indoor and outdoor space and delicious food and drink service
• This Center City private dining room and movie theater in Philadelphia, PA which allows you to enjoy a sumptuous feast while kicking back with a holiday classic
• This spacious event space with high ceilings in Glendale, CA with an on-site gourmet kitchen and games lounge
• This outdoor dining garden in Winter Park, FL with communal seating for 12 and on-site catering services
• This event and gallery space in Seattle with seating for 24, a refrigerator, and an outdoor space
• This intimate dining room in Soho, NYC with tables and chairs, tableware, silverware, glassware, and a private kitchen

As you can see, many of these spaces come with kitchens so you can cook and serve the meals with ease. Or, you can also opt to book a venue that provides catering services on-site. This could be a Thanksgiving that everyone gets to enjoy together!

2. Just the few of us

This might not be the right year to invite the whole extended family over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a spectacular Thanksgiving that still involves everyone! Discuss with family having a few of you host separate parties but connect each party via Zoom. You may just have a few of you together in person, but this way, you’ll still feel connected to the whole fam! 

3. Switch up the seating

We may be used to everyone crowding around one large table for Thanksgiving, but during a pandemic — you may not feel comfortable like that. Set up seating in an ample space with smaller, socially distanced tables. Sit each nuclear family at a separate table but face all the seats toward the center of the room, so everyone still feels connected.

These Thanksgiving decoration ideas uplevel your venue for the most memorable gathering!

4. Don’t lift a finger

Keep the hand-to-hand contact down by having Thanksgiving meal plates already made for guests. You can also cut down on waste by asking guests to fill out a form with what dishes they would like on their plates before they arrive!

And to make Thanksgiving even less stressful for you, again consider working with your Peerspace venue’s local host to help you find a caterer who will do all the cooking for you.

5. Stand-out centerpieces

With all the plates of turkey, stuffing, cranberries, potatoes, and more missing from the center of the table — it might feel like the spirit of Thanksgiving is missing! But you can quickly fix that problem with some beautiful and fun centerpieces.

Write the Thanksgiving Day menu on pumpkins placed around the tables(s) or place cornucopias in the middle, filled with flowers and fruits. And, in true COVID spirit, include masks and hand sanitizer!

6. Theme it up!

Your unique Thanksgiving ideas during COVID wouldn’t be complete without a fantastic theme. Keep it classic with a fall foliage or pumpkin theme, or go for elegance with vintage decor and rustic greens, browns, and grays. A fun theme makes every type of gathering more interactive and memorable.

7. No room for politics

Everyone dreads the political arguments around the Thanksgiving dinner table. And the pandemic seems to have only made political discussions more heated! Before the party starts, have everyone write down a non-political or non-controversial topic, fact or achievement, they would like to talk about or share. Anytime someone tries to bring up COVID or politics — draw one of the questions!

8. A well-dressed turkey (or Tofurky!)

Usually, when we are talking about dressing the turkey, we’re talking about what’s going in the turkey. But this time, what’s on the outside matters, too. For a quick giggle, serve your turkey, complete with a mask … maybe even “holding” a bottle of hand sanitizer! This works equally well for vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving turkey alternatives.

9. Mini pies

Limit contact and increase the cuteness factor with an assortment of adorable mini, individually-sized pies for guests. This is one of those Thanksgiving ideas during COVID that also serves another great purpose … you can try out all the different flavors of pie without getting too full!

10. Best friendsgiving

You may generally invite all your friends for a Friendsgiving party. But for Thanksgiving ideas during COVID, you might want to cut down the guest list a bit and make it a best Friendsgiving party. Invite over your closest friends to celebrate all your special Thanksgiving ideas during COVID at a gorgeous Peerspace venue!

These awesome Friendsgiving ideas help you gather with your pals in a safe and festive manner. Check them out!

11. Thanksgiving Family Feud

Setting up your Thanksgiving space for Family Feud is an excellent excuse to keep everyone separated by the nuclear family. It also adds some good old-fashioned competition to your family get-together!

Everyone can enjoy their Thanksgiving dinner at their pre-assigned table with their nuclear family, and when everyone’s finished — everyone’s already positioned for a game of Family Feud. Here’s a great DIY Family Feud set-up to help you create questions that will keep all your guests entertained!

12. Virtual Thanksgiving

If an in-person Thanksgiving dinner still feels too risky — don’t worry! You can still have fun hosting all your Thanksgiving ideas during COVID virtually! Have everyone cook their Thanksgiving dinners together over video conferencing software. After eating, invite everyone to play board games together online, using a service like Jack Box.

And just because you are only spending in-person Thanksgiving with those in your household doesn’t mean you have to stay at home! Make the holiday extra memorable by spending Thanksgiving with your nuclear family in a gorgeous Peerspace rental!

Thanksgiving ideas during COVID: conclusion

It doesn’t have to be impossible to enjoy the holidays with loved ones these days. You can still gather as long as you plan ahead and ensure your and your guests’ safety as much as possible!

Start by booking a beautiful Peerspace venue that gives you a clean environment and plenty of room to stretch out. If you live in a warmer clime, consider booking an outdoor space or a hybrid indoor-outdoor venue to keep the fresh air circulating.

With the right Peerspace venue and these COVID-era Thanksgiving tips, you and your family are well on your way to a magical gathering!

Find unique Thanksgiving dinner venues on Peerspace