My mother is one of 10 siblings and we typically have 50-70 people at Thanksgiving dinner. When everyone was alive and local, we've had up to 90 people.

It's our thing.

We use a local hunting club's building and kitchen because no one can accommodate everyone at their house.

The 2020 Thanksgiving cancellation started slowly, with the out-of-state contingents staying home.

With most of my aunts and uncles pushing 70, they started peeling off one by one and are each having their own dinners at home.

Each will still have 10 people or more - we have big families.

For the first time in my lifetime, ours will be just my mom's kids and grandkids, and in-laws and assorted single friends. We're cooking for 20.

It's sad. It was very special that we all were able to do that every year.

Hopefully next year. Eventually, the virus WILL fizzle out, vaccine or not.