Traditional Thanksgiving Celebrations
Thanksgiving celebrations continue to be steeped rich in traditions as Americans prepare for the yearly feast gather together for the event. Thanksgiving has evolved from its cultural traditions and religious roots it has been celebrated as a secular holiday as well. Prayer of thanks during Thanksgiving celebrations is common among all religions after a harvest including other times to show gratitude for all we have. Thanksgiving holiday history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the 16 century. It has aspects of a harvest festival an annual celebration that occurs around the time of harvest. Even though the harvest in New England occurs before the late November date on which the modern-day thanksgiving holiday is celebrated. Since it became a public holiday in 1862 it has taken place on the fourth Thursday of November each year. AAA predicts more than 53.4 million people are expected to travel this Thanksgiving up 13 percent from 2020. This brings travel volumes within 5 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019 with air travel almost completely recovering from its dramatic fall during the pandemic up 80 percent over last year.
As restrictions continue to lift consumer confidence continues to build Americans are ready to reunite with loved ones this holiday season 2021. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention CDC recently released its recommendations for holiday gatherings and related travel. Saying the best way to minimize Covid-19 risk is to get vaccinated if you are eligible. However, everyone’s situation is unique therefore AAA urges anyone considering gathering or traveling for Thanksgiving celebrations to consult CDC guidelines before finalizing holiday plans. Give thanks this holiday season celebrating thanksgiving with the initiation of appreciation for all that we have while considering what we can do for others. Thanksgiving celebrations with family and friends is usually a time to gather together reconnecting over a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In the United States, Thanksgiving dinner usually consists of roasted turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, string bean casserole, cranberry sauce, sweet cor, vegetables, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie to top off the feast. One turkey dinner is estimated to be 3,000 calories per meal.
Reduce calories during the holidays by opting for healthy meal options eating roasted turkey, AuJus gravy, mashed cauliflower, string beans topped with toasted almonds, mashed sweet potatoes, corn, 2 green vegetables of choice asparagus, spinach, and sugar free pumpkin pie or a sugar free 3 layer Pavlova cake for dessert. Sugar-free drink options can significantly reduce calories helping you stay on track with your diet plan. Nearly 51 million Americans travel to distant locations 50 miles or more away from home Holiday activities have changed recently due to the current pandemic as people remain optimistic about the near future, seeking new methods of entertainment while practicing social distancing guidelines. Americans focus on finding solutions using available resources they can utilize to improve everyday life. Experts suggest following pandemic State, government guidelines to ensure public safety. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for the blessings and harvest of the year with a sense of gratitude for what has been bestowed upon us. In 2021 the average Thanksgiving dinner serving 10 people cost 53.51 dollars in the US.
Currently, the Pandemic has been stressful for many people over the past year as self quarantining to reduce exposure to the virus has been effective in reducing the spread of the virus. Thanksgiving celebration is usually a good time to reconnect with family, friends feasting on traditional foods as we give thanks in a moment of silent meditation for the year’s harvest. Black Friday follows Thanksgiving day throughout the United States celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year regarded as the beginning of Christmas shopping in the US. Holiday shoppers take advantage of early Thanksgiving weekend deals in 2021. With retailers, enticing consumers with generous sale offers as early as October many holiday shoppers said they intend to advantage of holiday deals early this year. Black Friday saw exceptional growth in online sales in 2020 showing promise for the retail sector. The number of online Black Friday shoppers passed the 100 million mark up 8 percent over last year while online-only shoppers increases by 44 percent for the entire weekend in 2020for a total of 95.7 million.
The retail market emergence of digital technologies has led to significant changes in the retail environment providing new opportunities for retailers to redesign marketing of product strategies. Omni Channeling’s expansion of multichannel distribution exceeds expectations in 2021 as businesses continue to integrate online and offline sales. System processes continue to facilitate consumer transactions with ease and increase in popularity globally. Google Shopping is a service created by Craig Neville Manning which allows users to search for products online comparing prices by different vendors and shop on websites via the internet. In the US Google shopping is accessible from mobile apps on Android and iOS and on the web. Google shopping is free to use and requires a personal account in order to make purchases from the platform. Search the Google shopping site to browse departments or search for specific items of interest to see what’s trending in 2021. Check out promotional offers to decide where to make a purchase online or in-store.
Shop all the best prices and deals in one place this Black Friday at Google Shopping to simplify your shopping experience. Consumers use Black Friday purchases to make up a majority of consumer spending online retailer’s websites demonstrate today’s world seamlessly shopping world.The global retail market generated 25 trillion U.S. dollars in sales predicted to reach close to 27 trillion sales in the U.S. by 2022. National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail association, represents the department, discount stores, specialty stores, home goods, mainstream merchants, chain restaurants, internet retailers, wholesalers, from the United States and 45 countries globally. Contributing 2.6 trillion dollars to GDP gross domestic product is a monetary measure of the market value of final goods and services produced in a period quarterly or yearly. In 2020 Thanksgiving weekend drew 186.4 million shoppers in the US through Cyber Monday shoppers took advantage of the holiday shopping in-store and online.NRF National Retailer Association.
In the past few decades shopping online has gone from non-existent to a multi-billion dollar industry as people shift to buying products online and enjoy the convenience of the service from online retailers. Thanksgiving celebrations is a major holiday in the United States reuniting friends and family during the holidays feasting over Thanksgiving dinner in order to be thankful for the blessings of a good harvest season. According to Clarie McCarthy, MD of Harvard Health, gatherings with friends and families during the holidays can bring real risks during the pandemic especially when cases are rising all over the country. The best thing to do is to celebrate the holidays with just the people you live with. Experts advise skipping public gatherings this thanksgiving season modifying traditional plans this year to reduce the risks associated with Covid-19. Simplify the Thanksgiving celebrations by downsizing meal preparation scaling to your immediate family size include a healthy low-calorie menu delicious meal plan.
This holiday considers changing your holiday plans to reduce the spread of Covid-19 to help keep your family, friends, communities healthy and safe. Considerations for small gatherings celebrating virtually online can reduce the spread of the virus taking constant precautions is beneficial to public health. Thanksgiving celebrations can be made new by eating low-calorie options that can be enjoyed within your home space feasting on your favorite holiday dishes, entree, side dishes, low-calorie desserts while keeping entertaining at a minimum within the family unit you are living with.
Cheers!
Patricia Lynn
Images Courtesy of JillWellinton at Pixbay
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