Ideas for New Holiday Traditions This Season 

While the holiday season may be a little different this year for some families due to the pandemic, that does not mean family traditions have to be abandoned completely! Why not use this year to establish some fun new traditions with your family, or try different twists on longstanding ones? Here are some suggestions for how to connect with loved ones during the holiday season why still maintaining physical distance.

Play Long Distance Games with Family 

Video games have long had the option for players from around the world to connect but there are ways to play popular board and card games virtually as well! Family favorite games like Monopoly, Scattergories and Uno all have online versions you can play with friends and family. You can also hop on Zoom or Facebook Rooms to have a video conference with family members to play fun games like Charades, Who in the Room, or Trivia.

Do a Virtual Watch Party of Your Favorite Christmas Movies 

Does your family have favorite holiday movies that you watch together every year? You still can with new streaming technology and the help of ultra-fast one-gig internet at your Ten Trails home. Many streaming services like Netflix or Sling offer opportunities to create a “watch party” with friends and family members who are also subscribers. Chat on video while the film plays, and you can offer commentary and enjoy all your favorite scenes together.

Zoom Holiday Formal 

Do you miss getting dressed up for a night out? Get decked out in your favorite holiday attire and attend a holiday formal with friends or coworkers via Zoom. Ideas for sharing this event including picking out one or two appetizer recipes ahead of time that you will each make and share together during the party. Select a few special holiday-themed cocktails or mocktails to toast with while showing off your festive outfits.

Take Part in a Remote Baking Competition 

Holiday time is synonymous with baked goods and there is no reason this year should be an exception! Enter a friendly competition with friends, neighbors, or family members by baking up your best sweet treats and shipping or dropping off small batches to your baking competitors. Decide on a rating system beforehand and each member on the competition gets to vote for which treat they like best. Suggestions for voting categories include: “best decoration,” “best taste,” “most creative,” “best texture.” and “best overall.” Plant a New Year Tree Many cultures celebrate the new year by decorating or planting a tree -- similar to the common practice in this country of putting up a Christmas tree. To mark the passage of 2020 and transition to 2021, your family could adopt this tradition and plant a tree or purchase a new houseplant to commemorate the holiday and represent a symbol of growth and life for the coming year. www.TenTrails.com 360.469.4043