5 ACTIVITIES TO STAY CONNECTED FROM AFAR
Throughout history, humans have lived and thrived as social creatures. Part of being human is forming group connections (i.e. finding your tribe!), making them an essential part of our identity. Social wellness has never been more important than it is now, in our increasingly isolated world. Whether by necessity or by design, don’t let distance come between you and your loved ones this holiday season. We’ve gathered up all the activities you need to stay connected to your tribe this year.
WATCH TOGETHER
Whether you want to gush over the latest season of The Bachelorette with your besties or stream a holiday classic like Home Alone with your family, hop on Teleparty to watch what you want to stream, together. When you install Teleparty, it will synchronize whatever you want to watch on Netflix, Disney, Hulu, or HBO, and add a group chat on the side of your screen, where you and your friends can comment and react throughout your movie or show, without interruption.
PLAY TOGETHER
Sure, you can play your favorite board games with your friends and family via their virtual editions (like Scrabble or Monopoly). But it’s way more fun when you can play as one! Give the HouseParty app a try, which has built-in games like Heads Up!, Trivia, and Quick Draw. If you’d rather keep things simple, set up a conference call with your family and play a card game like We’re Not Really Strangers. Only one person needs to have the deck in hand to play the game--which contains carefully crafted questions geared toward deepening your relationships. So you can not only maintain your connections but improve them too!
TASTE TOGETHER
Wine, whiskey, and beer taste better when it’s shared together. We all know SheFactor LOVES virtual wine tastings with Sam the Sommelier, but did you know that Sam can host a wine tasting for you and your friends via Zoom? Working within your budget, Sam will dictate what wines each attendee will need to purchase or provide suggestions of what to find at your local store. Then, you’ll also have access to her wine tasting grids, wine tasting mats, custom wine and food pairing guide, and a Wine 101 Guide. Sam will make wine tasting simple for you and your friends or family. It doesn’t matter what you’re toasting to, as long as you’re doing it together.
WRITE TOGETHER
What you write, you invite! And no matter your age, seasons greetings still are impactful when delivered by snail mail. It’s the time it takes a letter or card to reach its destination, as well as the effort you’ve invested in writing or creating it, that makes holiday cards feel extra special. If you’re looking to go the extra mile with your message, make a homemade card or order a recordable card from Talking Print. Talking Print allows you to record your own audio on your greeting card, and they have cards for a variety of occasions. Become pen pals with your loved ones, because the little joys in life have never meant so much.
EAT TOGETHER
At many social gatherings, food takes the center stage. Both a physical need for our existence, and an indulgence for our senses, food connects us--with others, with our milestone memories, and even with our culture. Pick a family recipe, or one you’ve never tried before, and then pick a day you’ll make it within your separate homes. Finally, come together over a conference call to eat that same meal together. You’ll bond over whose food turned out best (or whose stayed on the stove a little too long!) and reignite your traditions via today’s technology.
Before you mourn this holiday season, do what you can to connect with the most important people in your life. Your ability to get creative, and stay connected, this year, will not only be an important part of self-care this season, but it will also make you a more tenacious individual. As we grow through this together, maintaining our social connectedness will help our mental health during these difficult times.