This year a different kind of Thanksgiving was celebrated across the country.

As El Paso continues to fight the battle against COVID-19, County Judge Ricardo A. Samaniego ordered a new curfew for El Paso County to prevent further extension of the cases. 

 
The curfew will last from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and entered effect on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 12:01 a.m. The curfew ends at 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30.  

 
As a result, citizens from El Paso were encouraged by the judge Samaniego to stay at home and do not gather with members outside of their household to fight against the increase of cases in the region. 

Stephanie Cordova, a junior majoring in psychology at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), tells how this Thanksgiving was different from other years.  

“This year, I lost my dad due to COVID-19 and we are only my mom and me. We used to get dinner with my dad’s family at my uncle’s and then go everyone together to the outlets to buy presents for the family, we were awake all night, it was like a tradition, but this year everything feels so different,” Cordova says.  
 

The tradition of Black Friday also was different this 2020. Many retail stores that traditionally open for this holiday, decided to close this year. Giving their employees an opportunity to stay at home with their families. Big box stores like Walmart, Target, COSTCO, Best Buy, among others were the main ones that closed.   

 
“Is Thanksgiving and the city looks like a ghost town. Even though I am thankful today, I still have my mom and I can have a turkey dinner with her,” Cordova says. “No doubt my generation will remember this year.” 

Judge Samaniego encouraged big box stores to distribute their Black Friday sales throughout the day to avoid large crowds that may gather for specific sales. 
 

By Maria Salette Ontiveros