Even under normal circumstances, the holiday season brings with it added family stress. Some parents worry about the financial strain. Others struggle to cope with the loss of a loved one or to manage the winter blues.
In 2020, those typical holiday stressors will take on new heights as we continue to fight the global COVID 19 pandemic. We all want to do our part to help our loved ones stay safe, but we also want to enjoy the holiday season at the same time. To help make these dual goals a reality this season, here are 10 ways you can create a holly jolly virtual holiday.
Tip #1 Do A Mental Health Check
Going into the holiday season this year, anxiety is high for both parents and children. So it’s important to do a mental health check-in with your kids before planning any activities. Help your children talk about their feelings and make sure that loving, warm interactions take precedence over struggling with them about schoolwork or chores around the house.
Tip #2 Virtual Crafting
If the little ones in your family are a bit stir-crazy, try setting up a Zoom crafting party. Send supplies to your child’s close friends and schedule a date for everyone to make holiday crafts like snowflakes or ornaments together. You can even make the party a fun competition by handing out prizes for the most creative crafts.
Tip #3 Get The Whole Family Involved
Children need to keep in touch with all of their family members, even those who may not be technologically inclined. To get past this potential barrier for family connection, consider gathering the less technologically inclined members of your family at the home of a more tech-savvy member and initiating a group family call. This way, your children will be able to connect with family members no matter their tech-savviness.
Tip #4 Blast from the Past
Family members can also connect by playing a game of blast from the past while visiting virtually. Ask family members to bring photos from past holidays to virtual family calls and take turns sharing the memories from those photos with everyone on the call.
Tip #5 Holiday Story Time
Another way to get older family members used to virtual holiday gatherings is by scheduling a weekly virtual storytime with grandparents before the holiday. Apps like caribu.com turn video calls into virtual moments of connection by giving kids and grandparents access to a library of books, coloring sheets, games, puzzles, and movies that they can use on the call.
Tip #6 Decorate and Celebrate
Just like you decorate your home for the holiday, you can decorate your video chats with virtual backdrops. Video conferencing services like Zoom allow you to customize your background and add stickers to make your holiday communications look and feel more festive.
Tip #7 Get A Professional Involved
More and more companies are popping up these days with a mission of making connecting virtually more meaningful and fun. Some options to consider for your family this holiday season are:
• AVirtualToast.com which curates virtual celebrations and mails the accompanying food and drink to the guests;
• Vendry.com, a virtual marketplace, which gives you access to everything from virtual magicians to Zoom portrait artists to help you create entertaining holiday experiences; and
• Quizbreaker.com, an app that lets you customize and distribute quiz-style trivia questions about family members and shared family experiences.
Tip #8 We’re Always Here To Help
Whether it’s providing tips to make your virtual holiday season is merry and bright or helping you with your family law needs, Angela F. Brown and Associates is here for you. Contact us at any time to book a free family law strategy session. Seasons Greetings