Now that COVID-19 vaccines are widely available and mask mandates and restrictions on gatherings are no longer in place in many areas, is this the year that Thanksgiving and the holidays return to normal?

For those dealing with loss — be it the death of a loved one or pet, divorce or unemployment — the holidays can be an especially depressing and even stressful time.
 
“For some, the holidays are reminder of loss and loneliness,” said Maurya Glaude, a practicing licensed clinical social worker, clinical supervisor and professor of practice at the Tulane University School of Social Work. “The idea of celebrating a holiday after losing a loved one can be a painful experience and may evoke sentiment and thoughts of past memories.
 

As Americans gear up for the upcoming holiday season and ready for the New Year, they will encounter somewhat higher fuel prices, affecting everything from air or automobile travel to heating their homes.