With COVID on the rise again throughout the United States the CDC is recommending avoiding large family gatherings. Being apart doesn’t have to mean not celebrating the holiday together. Now that we are six months into Zoom meetings and video calls most folks are officially getting the hang of how to communicate electronically and a Thanksgiving celebration over video chat opens up a new realm of possibilities.
One of the unforeseen benefits of a virtual Thanksgiving celebration is being able to enjoy the holiday without the hectic experience of traveling on a holiday weekend. No matter where you family is, Zoom meetings and video chat allows you to celebrate together, both in small groups or as a large party.
Socially Distant Thanksgiving Tip 1: Make a family cookbook
Thanksgiving is all about the food. Even if you can’t eat together as a group it’s still possible to enjoy Grandma’s stuffing recipe, an Aunt’s Famous Apple Pie – and let’s be real Costco’s Pumpkin Pie.
Ask each family member to share their favorite recipe a few days before the holiday. You can use a Shared Google Doc to allow everyone to type and collaborate together or designate a single family member to recipe photographs of everyone’s handwritten recipes. Consolidate the recipes into a single document or folder and distribute to the entire family.
Socially Distant Thanksgiving Tip 2: Create a music playlist
Listening to everyone’s favorite music is almost as fun as listening to everyone try to avoid politics over the dinner table. Ask the entire family for a couple of their favorite holiday or cooking songs and consolidate them into a Spotify playlist. Once you have the entire list, share the playlist with the family. Even if you don’t pay for a Spotify subscription it’s possible to listen to a shared playlist!
Socially Distant Thanksgiving Tip 3: Set a time for a Zoom Call
Without everyone in the same room it may be hard to really get that Thanksgiving experience of togetherness but Zoom has enabled families around the world to communicate safely and face-to-face.
Replicate the dinner experience by setting a time to ‘eat’ dinner together. During the call talk about your experience cooking (or ordering takeout). This is a great time to share what everyone learned from the family cookbook!
A family zoom call doesn’t have to be hours long but you may be surprised how much people want to chat. Zoom allows you to host up to 40 minutes with 100 people using their free account but it’s likely SOMEONE in the family has access to a premium account by now. If Google is your preference Google Hangouts is now available to everyone for free.
Socially Distant Thanksgiving Tip 4: Hook up the big screen
Did you know most laptops can be connected to your regular family TV? This provides more visibility to see everyone in the Brady Bunch view and also offers the opportunity to eat Thanksgiving dinner in front of the tv for the first time ever!
Depending on your laptop you may need a converter or a direct HDMI cable to connect your system. An extra long HDMI cable is good for ensuring that even if you are watching the big screen you can bring your laptop close to your family for the web camera on your end.
Socially Distant Thanksgiving Tip 5: Plan a Virtual Game
Zoom calls without structure can be feel a bit uncomfortable. Playing a game is a great way to get everyone engaged. Imagine you were sitting at a dining room table and take whatever family tradition you are used to, and convert it to an activity you might do over a zoom call!
Virtual Thanksgiving Ideas
- Share a favorite bible verse
- Ask a family member to say Grace before the meal
- Provide time for everyone to share what they are thankful for this year
- Play 3 truths and a Lie. See who is the best liar in the family!
- Read a favorite Christmas story as a group.
Interested in other virtual party games?
Socially Distant Thanksgiving Tip 6: Create a family video
Zoom fatigue is REAL and if you don’t feel up for yet another video meeting, that’s ok. It’s still possible to create a face-to-face holiday without another virtual meeting.
One fun tool for creating a family video is Tribute! Designed as an easy way to collect videos from groups, set a prompt for everyone to talk about [I like the theme of thankfulness] and send out the video link so everyone can record and upload their unique video. Once the full video is compiled you can distribute the finished video as a fun keepsake of an unusual year.
Tribute isn’t free, but starting at $25 it’s a great way to create a new family tradition.
It’s been said enough that 2020 is an unprecedented year. No matter how you choose to celebrate Thanksgiving, do so safely. We are all in this pandemic together and being conscious and aware of our health is more important then ever.
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