Since COVID-19, nothing has looked the same, including holidays. Last year, with all the restrictions in place, a lot of families couldn’t gather for Thanksgiving as they had years before. Even with lockdowns lifted and vaccines rolled out, families might not get to spend the holidays with each other this year. This blog is going to give you a few ideas on how you can still stay connected with your family this holiday (even if it’s not in person).
Celebrate Thanksgiving from a distance.
The best way to connect with family members from a distance is to video chat with them. Maybe have dinner together over video call, or play an online game. Doing other Thanksgiving activities over video, like saying what you’re thankful for or sharing family stories, is a great way to feel as though you’re with your loved ones in person.
Host a Friendsgiving!
If you have friends around you that don’t have family to celebrate with, have a Friendsgiving! This can happen either on Thanksgiving, or another day after the holiday. Friendsgiving is a great way to get a few or a lot of people together for a Thanksgiving-like celebration. Have everyone make some food to bring and celebrate each other’s friendship!
Check in on loved ones.
It’s important to reach out to loved ones you haven’t heard from in a while on holidays and just check in to see how they’re doing. Holidays can be a lonely time for a lot of people, and calling in to check on a relative can mean the absolute world to them. If you can’t get a hold of someone through call, text, or video chat, sending a card or small gift to them would be a nice gesture. Thanksgiving is all about gratitude and being grateful, it’s the time to show your loved ones how much they mean to you, near or far.
We hope this blog gave you a few insights on how to connect with long-distance relatives during this holiday season. We at Family Connections Therapy wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
