How to include friends and family far away for the holidays

As the holidays approach, you might need to change your holiday traditions with friends and family far away. But rest assured, there is a way to bring your tables together this holiday season even if you’re apart. Your best bet is to have your holidays online. Here are some ideas on how you can have a happy and safe holiday:

Set up a video call station in your home to visit with family. Clean up an area of your home that gets good natural lighting, and set it up for holiday video calls with family and friends. You can connect online like you would at a party from the safety of your own home while keeping the holiday spirit high. Be sure to decorate your space with a festive background like a tree or lights.

Schedule a game night for the family to play online. Plenty of sites have turned family-favorite board games into online versions you can play with your family over video calls in a few easy steps. Pick a night this season for a huge family game night that’ll bring everyone together while staying safe in their own spaces.

Share recipes online. Don’t be stingy with your secret recipe. The holidays are a great time to whip up your famous brown Betty, but this year consider relinquishing the recipe to your friends and family. Or even better, send them a gift box with the ingredients and cook it together over video chat for a night of socially distant, festive fun.

Pull up a seat for your laptop or tablet. When the family is only a click away, you can bring them anywhere, including your holiday table. Don’t let anyone miss out on the holiday festivities by piping them in via video chat for dinner. If you share your recipes, then everyone is sharing a meal while staying safe.

Like most of this year, the holidays will be different, but with these tips, hopefully you’ll have a happy and healthy holiday season.