Covid Chronicles: TikTok trend turned new family tradition

This is the eighth installment of the Covid Chronicles blog from a Castleton University Media Writing class detailing students’ experiences during the pandemic.

DiFiore and her family dressed up for dinner.

It was just another day in quarantine.

Spent my day in pajamas, lying in bed, scrolling through Tik Tok until my brain melted.

There was a trend I had seen going around on the app where families would have some fun by doing themed dinners.

Later that day, my sister suggested that our family do the same.

Our parents thought it would be a fun way to break up the monotony and make a good memory out of a bad situation.

The next day we were having our first themed dinner.

We decided on a fancy, black tie theme.

When 5:30 rolled around, my dad gets home from work and it is time to get ready.

I pick an old prom dress from high school to wear.

Its maroon lace and scattered sparkles were a perfect fit for the night.

I threw on a pair of heels, did a little make-up and headed to the kitchen.

There my mom was, setting the table in her blouse, maxi skirt and wedges.

Then came my sister, in a long black dress.

Followed by my brother who was complaining about having to wear a tie and put on something besides sweats.

My dad came downstairs in his gray suit and left to go pick up our dinner, undoubtedly getting looks walking into the restaurant so dressed up.

On the menu tonight, contrary to our fancy theme, was O’tooles.

Take out from a sports pub.

By the time he got home, the candles were lit, “fancy restaurant music” was playing softly in the background and our hungry stomachs were impatiently waiting for our chicken fingers.

While we ate, we talked, laughed and reminisced about life before coronavirus.

After that dinner, we decided to continue the fun and do a different theme every Saturday.

The  themes that followed included Hawaiian night, sports night, pajama night and USA night.

It only lasted a month but my mom decided we will make it an annual event and include the whole family.

Now we will always have a little night in memory of quarantine.

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