LAFAYETTE — The pandemic continues to bring change to everyday life, including the way families celebrate the holidays.
"We weren't going to have Thanksgiving at my house, my niece was having it at her house, then some one was exposed, so of course we didn't have it there. Then we just had a small Thanksgiving at our house," Mari DeRouen said.
DeRouen isn't letting it change all of their traditions. She and her husband spent Sunday picking out the perfect tree at Pollard's tree stand on Pinhook, something they have done for more than 10 years.
Dozens of other families were there also carrying out their yearly traditions.
"It's just fun to come and do stuff with the family, because we don't always get to," Grace Andrus said.
Andrus and her siblings say after they pick out the perfect tree, they will spend the evening decorating it with LSU decor.
"We usually do 10 (foot tree), but 10 is too big, and 8 is too small" Caroline Andrus said. Her brother Joseph Andrus added, "Last year we did an artificial one, but they said it's too hard to set up."
Both families say Christmas is a time where they enjoy the company of their family.
"We do Noche Buena which is the night before Christmas, Christmas eve. That's really the tradition. Everyone gets together on Christmas Eve, then Christmas day is more sedate, just you and your family, you do the presents thing, the big thing is on Christmas eve," DeRouen said.
DeRouen hopes that their family tradition can continue despite COVID-19.
"I'm just praying that it's all good for Christmas, I have a sister that lives in Texas who couldn't come in for Thanksgiving. Which was sad that's the first Thanksgiving we haven't seen her, in well ever. So I hope things will be better for Christmas because we just want to see everybody," DeRouen said.
She adds depending on where case numbers stand, they'll be ready for a celebration, big or small.
