ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After not being able to spend time with family and friends last year during one of the peaks of the pandemic, Thanksgiving finally made a comeback in 2021.
Everyone seems to be taking this national holiday to soak in the missing time with their loved ones. But what about the people who are alone again this Thanksgiving?
Here are some things you can do to spend the holiday riding solo:
Go out to events
Luckily for us, there are some good events going on in the Tampa Bay area this Thanksgiving weekend.
Tampa Bay Festival of Lights
What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than eating yummy fair food and riding attractions until you start to see two? There isn't one!
Anyone spending this holiday alone can take a trip to the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, which transformed into "a spectacle of holiday cheer for the entire family," the event's Facebook page says in a post. It opens at 6 p.m.
There will be a near two-mile drive-thru of "continuous light features followed by a festive walking visit to Santa's village" for people to enjoy.
“With enchantment in mind, we have added brighter lights, jaw-dropping displays, new activities and music that combine to create an unforgettable immersive experience," the post explains.
Tickets are $25 per car and can be bought here.
30th Annual Thanksgiving Arts & Craft Festival
Anyone planning to spend the Thanksgiving weekend solo can make their way over to the Arts & Craft Festival in Tarpon Springs.
This free event starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
During one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, there will be a wide selection of fine art to crafts being offered from independent business owners. People can do holiday shopping here with local vendors instead of heading to the busy malls.
Admission and parking for this event are complimentary.
For more information, click here.
Take a breather
A report from Harvard suggests 36 percent of all Americans — including 61 percent of young adults and 51 percent of mothers with young children — feel "serious loneliness."
Being alone on Thanksgiving can definitely be lonely at times, but we can also think of it as a time to be thankful and loving for ourselves.
People can go out and volunteer to counter the feeling of being alone, while others can relax at home, spending the holiday in a way that best suits them.
Psych Central says letting yourself get creative is also another way of spending a holiday alone. This is a time when new traditions with just yourself can be made.
Things such as volunteering, cleansing, puzzles and movie dates can be something you do and enjoy by yourself.
At the end of the day, curling up with a blanket and watching TV doesn't seem like such a bad idea on how to end Thanksgiving.
Click here to see what shows are playing on 10 Tampa Bay Thursday night.
