14 Ways You Can Connect with Extended Family this Holiday - Virtually
This year, we're finding new ways to connect with family members outride of our household. From gift openings done virtually, over FaceTiming, or live streaming your Christmas morning to grandparent's and adapting your Christmas holiday to a fire pit outdoors, there are still so many ways that we can connect with each other this season.
Virtual Gingerbread House Decorating
Grab a gingerbread house kit and drop it off on the doorstep of your friends and family members, or even send a gingerbread house via Amazon, or grocery delivery options, and tune in to decorate the houses together over FaceTime or Zoom.
Take a Virtual Cooking Class Together
Virtual Cooking classes are a popular option to up your skills in the kitchen as we spend more time at-home, but why not enjoy it with a friend, or family member. You can both tune into the same cooking class, and spend the hour long session using another device to 'cook together', trying to master something new.
Virtual Cookie Decorating
Whip up a batch of your favourite sugar cookies, and get creating together. You can even find pre-made cookie kits from local bakeries that can be safely dropped off on doorsteps.
Virtual Storytime
One of the most touching things that I have heard this holiday season, is a local grandma and her horde of grandkids tuning in for story time, every night this holiday season. Every night, they tune in together at 7pm, just before bedtime, to read a new Christmas story every day. I just loved the thought that went into choosing twenty-four Christmas books, and connecting over Zoom to hear Grandma read a story.
Take a Games Night - Online
Do you use a Nintendo Switch at home? Play games like Mario Party or Mario Kart with friends and family members over the holidays, where you can connect with each other. This might be the perfect time for grandparents to get in on the Nintendo train, or find your favourite family board game - virtual edition.
Convoy of Christmas Lights
Hop in the car, and physically distance yourself on a Christmas lights tour of the city, searching out the best Christmas lights to see in Edmonton. Passengers can connect while driving using video chat, as you follow the same route to see lights this holiday season. Don't forget the pajamas and hot chocolate! You may not be able to drive together, safely, but you can enjoy the experience together.
Friendship Lamp
The friendship lamp made me laugh, as we shopped for kids gifts this season - until it made to the top of our kids' Christmas list to connect with their friends. It's two lamps, that are connected virtually (don't ask me to explain how it works), but friends can have of each of the set, and change the color on the lamp on their own lamp, which then changes the color of the friendship lamp.
Dinner Together - Apart
Grab take out from your favourite local restaurant, and have your family members order from the same menu. Share the meal together, over FaceTime or Zoom, and enjoy dinner together, apart.
Present Wrapping Party
Grab the ribbon and bows, and wrap those gifts for family members together. Find the wrapping paper, pile the presents and get wrapping together - it's a way to connect. We may not be able to be together in person, wrapping gifts to share, and deliver, through the holidays.
Deliver Joy Through the Mail
Postcards, small gifts, letter writing kits, letters to each other - staying connected while delivering joy through the mail is a fantastic way to connect virtually, through the holidays. It's the season of inexpensive cards, postcards, and glitter - making it easy to connect with family members through the mail. You can even save on stamps, by dropping off letters at the doorstep, or in the mailbox, if family members live locally.
Take an Online Art Class Together
There are many great studios online, like Outschool.com, where you can sign up to take a variety of classes together. Extended family members can sign up for the same course, and take a class together on one device, while using screen in screen, or a different device, to connect while they take the art class, or paint together.
Plan a Scavenger Hunt
Taking a mobile device on a scavenger hunt is a fun way to mix up that traditional FaceTime conversation. Grandparents or extended family members can plant clues around the community, or ask for help with the clues from parents and other adults living in the home, following along with the scavenger hunt to the prize at the end, virtually.
Live Stream Gift Opening
Christmas Day is going to be a lot different this year, for a lot of families. Live streaming the gift opening, or opening gifts virtually together with an exchange is a great way that we can have that connection, that traditional joy, and the experience this year, reducing the heartache that comes with missing out on the special milestone days and holidays this year.
How are you connecting virtually this year?