2020 has undoubtedly been a year of twists and turns. As we reflect on Thanksgiving and set sights toward Christmas one thing is certain, the holidays are looking a lot different, and likely, more digital for most families.
In fact, according to a recent survey from Asurion Home +, 72% of Americans plan to celebrate the holidays virtually this year and almost 40% of parents who traveled last holiday season will not be doing so this year.
Just because many gatherings will be scaled to smaller celebrations with immediate family does not mean they have to be destined for a blue Christmas. Below are a few ways parents can keep kids entertained and connected with distant family and loved ones, especially older or immune-vulnerable family members who are higher risk, during the digital holidays.
Video Conferencing
2020 marks the year of the Zoom. Video conferencing is a great way to loop families together through video. Zooming during Christmas dinner so everyone has a seat at the table or Facetiming family in for gift opening on Christmas morning are both great ways to keep loved ones feeling engaged and connected. Asurion Home + also offers 24/7 tech support within their offering to help users troubleshoot and get tech set up, so if you have a Wi-Fi issue or less tech-savvy family member, help is only a phone call away.
Photo Sharing
As the saying goes, a picture speaks a thousand words. Sharing photos and videos through social media is another powerful way to make loved ones feel like they are near, even from afar.
Leavemark, for example, is a newly launched, social media and photo/document storage app hybrid that was specifically designed to share and archive memories and documents for families. Parents can upload and share photos of the little ones with Santa or even upload the kids’ letter to Santa to a private family archive on the platform. Users also have the ability to share immediately or through the time release function within the app.
And if you are looking for a safe Santa photo of the kids you can do from home, Asurion Home+ is offering free digital self-portraits with Santa!
Virtual Vacations
If you and your family normally travel for the holidays, virtual vacations can be a fun and creative substitute.
Many popular travel destinations like the Grand Canyon, Italy and even the White House are offering 360-degree virtual tours in light of travel restrictions from the pandemic. Take a tour of the Great Wall of China during the day and have grandparents zoom in while the kids help out in the kitchen to make some beef and broccoli or stir fry for dinner to round out the experience.
The holidays should be a time of cheer and connection, even during these trying times. No matter how you and your family spend the holidays this year, there are many options and ways to get creative to keep everyone connected through technology.
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash
