Missing your internationally residing friends and family? Spending time apart from loved ones overseas is always tricky, especially during the holiday season. If there’s one thing the last few years have taught us however, it’s that the celebrations don’t have to stop, thanks to the wonder that is the world wide web.
1) Sing Your Heart Out With a Virtual Karaoke Session
Already upset that you won’t be able to see your international loved ones belt out their best Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé impressions after one too many glasses of Christmas punch this year? We’ve got some good news.
With free online platform Sync Tube, you and your guests will be able to sync YouTube videos and play them simultaneously (and we mean actually simultaneously, not “three, two, one, GO” simultaneously).
Simultaneous streaming provides the perfect solution to your virtual Christmas party playlist woes as you’ll avoid the dreaded lag and tinny acoustics that often come hand in hand with Zoom and other video call platforms, allowing you and your friends to sing the night away to your hearts’ content.
2) Have a Netflix Christmas Movie Marathon
The last couple years has given rise to Netflix slowly but surely building up a feel good catalogue of original Christmas content, bestowing upon us true cinematic masterpieces such as The Princess Switch and A Christmas Prince (classics such as The Holiday and The Grinch are there too).
Thanks to free browser extension ‘Teleparty’, you and your friends and family can now start, stop and pause Netflix at the same time from separate households, enabling you to have a Christmas movie night together while you’re apart.
There’s a chat box too, so you can communicate when something exciting happens, adding to the sense that you’re all together.
3) Host a Virtual Wine and Cheese Night
For a twist on the traditional holiday Zoom catchup, invite your far away loved ones to a virtual wine and cheese night.
The activity is self explanatory and beyond easy to administer - simply ask your loved ones to join the call with a selection of cheeses, their favourite bottle of wine and you’re good to go.
We recommend virtually toasting and synchronizing vino top ups to create the illusion of you all being at an actual bar together (and don’t forget to set the ambiance with some bar-esque music!).
4) Host a Virtual Christmas Dinner Party
Christmas festivities have become somewhat synonymous with food, and while your virtual Christmas catch ups should unquestionably involve festive snacks that you all (through the power of imagination) eat ‘together’, we recommend transforming the entire video call into a virtual Christmas dinner party.
While reservations regarding cooking while simultaneously talking to friends over video call are expected, virtual dinner parties are a surprisingly easy affair.
Simply decide on a communal recipe and prep ingredients (cut up vegetables, set out pots and pans) prior to the video call, then begin the Zoom session, pour yourselves a glass of wine (if you are so inclined) and cook up a storm before enjoying the fruits of your labour and a face to face chat afterward.
5) Get Your Hands Messy With a Crafty Christmas
Getting your hands messy with crafts is another way to add a unique spin to your virtual Christmas get together.
While watercolour paintings make for easy, pretty craft creations, an at home pottery kit offers a more unique, albeit far messier, crafty activity.
Regardless of your craft pastime of choice, invite your friends to (virtually) join, and embrace your artsy sides together.
6) Get Competitive With Christmas Trivia
Inject your next Zoom call with a healthy dose of festive trivia.
Although a plethora of sites provide online trivia questions, we recommend adding a more personal touch to the activity by getting your friends and family to each take control of one round of the game, coming up with their own Christmas themed questions and acting as quiz master for that specific round.
7) Cook Up a Storm With a Christmas Bake Off
In order to honor the season during your next video call, add a festive and competitive twist by hosting a virtual Christmas bake off. On the Zoom call, you and your friends will decide on a communal recipe (we recommend Christmas cookies, like these ones) before baking and decorating them in your respective kitchens.
Due to obvious reasons, taste won’t be a factor in determining the winning cookies (even if you know yours are downright delectable), so ensure you get your hands on as many festive cookie decorations as possible (Red frosting! Green frosting! Sugar snowmen!) if you’re hoping to walk away as top chef.
