Seven Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving From Afar. Now That Thanksgiving is Virtual, What To Do?
Online virtual gathers will replace traditional Thanksgiving holidays this year as the pandemic ushers in a ‘new normal.’
1) Visit Virtually, Online: Send invitations to your friends and the entire family to gather at a specific time during Thanksgiving for a virtual video call celebration while everyone is safe at home. “Zoom” live-action during your turkey dinner. Share stories. Watch and listen to the collective conversations to celebrate with your siblings, parents, distant relatives, and friends. Technology will unite and connect without ever leaving home. Make sure everyone understands how and when to log in.
2) Share Decades-Past Snapshots: Gather and digitize your old-school photos snapshots to reminisce and narrate the stories behind past Thanksgiving dinners and share the stories behind the memories when you cannot be together in person.
3) Select a Game For Everyone To Play: Jackbox is a gaming service that allows you to Facetime with your friends while playing virtual games.
4) Virtual Memory Wheel: Connects and gets everyone to engage. Become part of the story, while socially distancing. Have everyone select ten of their all-time most memorable pictures from past Thanksgivings and family gatherings. Share all the pictures online, and narrates the story behind the photos.
5) Smile, It is Family Photo Time: Take a family photo, complete with all virtual guests. Use a collage photo app to assemble each picture into a family keepsake and order photo gifts for everyone.
6) Guess Who? Cards: Have everyone submit two anonymous memes or message cards describing something excellent and unusual that happened to them in 2020. Add a third card with an aspiration for something they had hoped to do in 2020 but were unable to do. And one more identifying the best book, favorite TV show, movie, song, or event they enjoyed during the past 12 months. Then have everyone guess who wrote each Guess Who?
7) Prepare Before: Send a Gift and Traditional Dessert: Before Thanksgiving, send matching bouquets and a favorite family dessert to all your guests to enjoy together during your interactive Zoom, party.