This will be a Different Holiday for All of Us

No need in belaboring the reality of the impact of the pandemic on everyone during 2020. Know that life is full of change; we will recover because we are resilient people. Holiday celebrations and family gatherings will be different. We may have to get creative.

Connecting with our families may have to be by phone or virtually, probably on Zoom video or Google Meet. Of course, for our safety and health, we will miss passing the mashed potatoes or the wrestle for the last homemade roll, not to mention having seconds of stuffing or pie. The worst part is grandparents won’t get to kiss the grandbabies' fat cheeks and marvel at how tall the children are now.

While it may not be perfect, one solution is to have a virtual family gathering after dinner. Everyone in their homes can meet online at a designated time. Zoom works well; it operates on your phone, laptop, computer, or tablet. Set up is so easy that a fifth-grader could do it—just ask them.

If you're not familiar with Zoom, use this 7-step instruction sheet. The great thing is that you get to see and talk with everyone. You only get 40-minutes for free or 60-minutes if you use Google Meet, so it is best to have a plan. Let’s say you give everyone one-minute to say hello, share an update, and then open for conversations or play a game.

Play the Family Memories Game

Want to play my free game of Family Memories? It’s 20 random questions for participants to complete a sentence. The game is free; you can download the instructions for the Family Memories Game.

You probably appreciate the importance of keeping in touch, collecting family history and memories, even more, these days. Sign up for my email to get goodies for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and new grandparents.