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Families face tough decision: to travel or not for Thanksgiving holiday amid pandemic

The holidays can be stressful but add a pandemic on top of that, and a lot of families are facing some tough choices about how to celebrate.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This Thanksgiving families across the country are faced with tough choices.

How to celebrate the day, how many people to invite, and what kind of guidelines to follow to keep loved ones safe?

Before sitting down to eat the turkey, many families this year are having a talk.

"We're seeing a lot of conflict and tension between family members about how to handle the upcoming holidays."

"What's really important is for families to clearly communicate ahead of time, way ahead of holidays, what kind of expectations they have. Their limits, their boundaries and what they need to feel safe."

A Cleveland Clinic psychologist says a lot of her patients have expressed guilt about skipping family parties this year.

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She encourages those hosting family gatherings to set boundaries for guests.

If you prefer guests wear a mask politely let them know it's for everyone's safety.

Psychologists said there's nothing wrong with protecting your personal health.

"We create a lot of scenarios in our minds about how the holidays are going to play out and sometimes we create the worst-case scenarios. Remind yourself that they are possible but not probable and remind yourself about the positive things that holidays can bring you."

Psychologists instead recommend focusing on relaxing.

The upside to the pandemic, you may be able to skip out on traveling or cooking a big holiday dinner.

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