The holidays are right around the corner, but changes must be made to maintain a safe and COVID-19 friendly environment while trying to continue on with family traditions.

“Usually we go to our relatives houses across Ohio for the holidays,” English teacher Vera Hazlett said. “This year we weren’t able to do that for Thanksgiving sadly, but my mom is quarantining so she will be able to come to my house for Christmas. We usually play a family game of Bingo and we have prizes and it’s always super fun; for Thanksgiving, we did it over Zoom and decided to mail prizes to each other.”

Not being able to be with the whole family to celebrate is a change a lot of people are having to make to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. 

“Every year, a day or two after Thanksgiving, my family decorates the house,” senior Aubrey Lynch said. “It’s a really fun tradition that my family has and it’s always something fun I can look forward to. My family goes crazy switching out Thanksgiving decorations and putting up Christmas stuff and it’s so much fun and so special to spend time with my family.”

This time of year people tend to start traveling all around the country to be with their family or to just get out of the cold.

“Ever since I was little, my family and I would travel up north,” junior Alyssa Decker said. “We would go up north on Christmas Eve and celebrate with them. This year, because of COVID-19, we aren’t able to go, unfortunately. I’m really going to miss going up north and seeing my grandparents because I have not seen them for a long time because of COVID-19. But we just want to keep everyone in my family safe.”

Although traditions are having to change this year, many families are still finding creative ways to carry out their traditions while remaining safe.