Edina Family’s Thanksgiving to Still Be a Cold, Socially Distant Affair in Spite of Global Pandemic

EDINA — With the CDC asking people not to travel for the holidays in order to contain the spread of coronavirus, many families are adapting their plans and not holding in-person gatherings. However, Thanksgiving for Edina’s Sivertson family won’t look very different from their previous celebrations.

“It will be so nice to have everyone gathered together again. There’s truly nothing like having the family under one roof, in their respective turrets.” Emily Sivertson told The Nordly.

Mrs. Sivertson will be spending Thanksgiving with her husband Piers and their two adult children. Despite the risks of viral spread associated with plane travel, Emily is confident of her family’s safety.

“We had it perfectly planned,” Emily explained, “after William and Eloise flew back from Wesleyan, they were administered a COVID test upon landing. Then, they were isolated in their own wings of the house for 72 hours until they were cleared to access other parts of the home.”

Piers shared in his wife’s excitement at being able to have his family home.

“Yes, the children are back. I always know that they’re home when I realize there are fewer Pellegrinos in the fridge outside of the upper-level sauna.”

The Sivertson’s youngest Eloise is thankful that she gets to be back home this Thanksgiving.

“With everything going on, it was nice to go back and see some of my favorite people. It’s been a couple months since I last saw my nursemaid Gründa and I really missed having her in my life. I haven’t seen my parents since I retired to the East wing three days ago, but it’ll be nice to see them on Thanksgiving.”

Thanksgiving Day for the Sivertsens will also be adequately distanced and safe. Their dining room table is 21 feet long and each family member will get their own turkey and accouterments. Their regular dining room staff will be serving as usual this year, in the latest surgical PPE from the Mayo Clinic, embroidered with the Sivertson family crest—a wolf on a snowmobile hitting a deer.

The annual Christmas photo will still be taken after the meal this year. In previous years, each family member was no closer than two feet from each other and this year, that distance will simply be increased to six feet. The photo will be taken in front of the larger fireplace in the ground level trophy room as opposed to the basement trophy room, to accommodate for the increased social distance.

In the grand scheme of things, Mrs. Sivertsen is grateful that she’s able to keep most traditions intact this year.

“It’s been difficult organizing this holiday with our in-house chef, endangered species game hunter, and sommelier all cutting back to half time but I think we’ll be able to manage. I really cannot wait to see my children again for another two hours this December!”