GUIDE TO THE PERFECT VIRTUAL THANKSGIVING
By: CaraG @exclusivelycarag
The holiday season has arrived, and health experts are still urging people to stay home, so preparing with your family may be different this year. If you plan to celebrate virtually with your loved ones, here’s some ways to make it memorable.
To host or attend a virtual holiday with family, you’ll need to find a video conferencing platform like Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, etc. These platforms work best with high-quality Wi-fi and are usually free depending on the number of people in attendance. Set up a Thanksgiving itinerary with different virtual activities and times to send to everyone on the virtual guestlist.
Create new traditions: Everything is new this year, so why not keep it going? Create a memorable tradition that you can carry on for years to come, even when things return to normal. Get the day started by watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in your turkey pajamas. Mail or drop off Thanksgiving Care Packages to help family and friends feel united. The care package can include a pie kit, coffee tumbler, a personal invitation to the virtual gathering, and a bag of candy corn.
Meal Prep: Schedule calls for family members to brainstorm the holiday menu and make a shopping list. Plan a set time to get the family involved in meal prepping a traditional family dish. Maybe preparing grandma’s homemade chicken casserole is too much work, perhaps you want to try a new homemade gravy recipe. Branch out and make the perfect meal for you and your family.
Keep the fun rolling: Also, since it’s a party and all, you’ll need a little entertainment as you
stuff your bellies with that homemade turkey and gravy. Games like For The Culture and Cards Against Humanity can be played virtually, which are sure to bring out the laughs and craziness we all love experiencing with our relatives. To compliment the pie kit in your Thanksgiving care package, host an old-fashion pie eating contest!
Holiday decorating: Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or Christmas. This is the perfect time to put up those lovely decorations if you haven’t already done so. To top the family bonding off, assign every family member someone they would give a holiday gift to.
Thankful, amid a global pandemic: For a lively online discussion, ask each family member to share what they are most thankful for amidst the pandemic. This would also be an excellent time to share memories about different generations of family members. The idea is to use technology to create genuine connections to those we are thankful for no matter the distance.
It’s hard for everyone to skip favorite holiday traditions and adjust to the new normal. But we can try safe, quarantine-friendly ideas to fill in for what we’ll miss. It may even add new meaning to your favorite holiday season.
