Local

How to talk to family about changing Thanksgiving Day plans

CHARLOTTE — You love your family and want to see them over Thanksgiving, but you don’t want to get them sick. It’s a tough decision to make to go ahead with your plans or cancel them.

So, how do you talk to family members about changing holiday plans?

Licensed clinical social worker Amy Gregor has advice to make the conversation a little easier.

Understand the situation

“So, for example, ‘I know you know we do this every year and this is a really big important part of our family,” Gregor told Channel 9.

Know the facts

“Numbers are going up and research tells us that as we start to gather in these larger gatherings, it’s only going to impact that,” Gregor said.

Stick with how you feel

“It’s really difficult for people to argue with how you feel,” Gregor said. “Some people may try, but what we feel is not wrong.”

Set your boundaries and make them clear

Gregor said, for example, “I feel really anxious this year, so this year I think it’s going to be best for me if I stay home.”

Think how your family will feel

“In order to be able to keep that relationship going and end on a positive note, we want to be able to reflect back on how the other person’s feelings about it and validate their feelings,” Gregor said. “They’re not wrong for being upset about it.”

[CDC warns against traveling for Thanksgiving amid COVID-19 pandemic]

Gregor said if you choose to limit or cancel your holiday plans, you shouldn’t feel too bad. She said you should feel proud that you’ve set boundaries and looked after your family’s best interests.