FLORIDA — If you’re like me, shopping with the family after Thanksgiving dinner is something you look forward to but this year many of us will have to create new traditions. 

Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target and other big retailers like Cosco and Dicks Sporting Goods will not be open on Thanksgiving Day as they’ve done in the past. This is something that experts endorse, adding that the rush of people you typically see during holiday shopping can be dangerous.

"My 100% medical opinion is that we need to sacrifice our holidays this year," said Dr. James Phillips. "We need to stay at home, in our own personal household."

This is also something that’s extended to our actual holiday feast, as many experts warn that it’s too soon for big family gatherings. 

"Having a small gathering of five or six people might be reasonable if you're within a bubble who you know — each person is maintaining their distance, wearing their masks and protecting themselves as well as possible,” Phillips said. 

Florida has seen more than 18,000 deaths due to COVID-19. 

"This thing looks like a mask. It's actually a medical device that can be life-saving. Think of it that way,” said Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of National Institutes of Health. “You wouldn't hold back on that if you thought you could help somebody. Keep those distances where they need to be, six-feet or more. Avoid those indoor gatherings."

The Washington Post reports that Americans spent an average of $335 per person on shopping between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday in 2019.​