Celebrating important days together becomes more important than ever when family members are apart. Luckily, a virtual celebration can be much easier than you’d think. You can bring your family together online to celebrate birthdays, holidays, important news, and any other occasion worth a party. Here, Serenity Home Care, which serves Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties in Oregon, offers some advice to help you plan virtual celebrations that are truly special.
Keep Everyone Engaged
At an in-person party, it’s natural for guests to break off into smaller groups and conversations. While virtual celebrations don’t allow this to happen organically, there are other ways to keep everyone feeling engaged. Here are some helpful tips:
- Set an agenda: Plan out a schedule of games and activities to avoid quiet moments.
- Get people involved: Make sure the conversation includes everyone. For instance, have everyone share a holiday memory or a funny story about the guest of honor.
- Surprise them: A surprise activity keeps things exciting and can be used to fill the gaps.
Get Hands-On
Another great way to keep your loved ones engaged and having fun is to plan a fun hands-on activity. It’s easier to feel present and a part of things when you’re using your hands, and kids especially will have enjoy it. This can be something like a game, a craft or do-it-yourself (DIY) project, or even a simple recipe everyone can cook together.
If you’re planning a hands-on activity, make sure guests have what they need. Ambitious party-planners can mail supplies to each guest ahead of time. A simpler solution is simply to send each guest a list of the things they need. Either way, make sure you do it far in advance. Give guests plenty of time to acquire their supplies so nobody feels left out.
Bring on the Competition
If all else fails, there’s nothing like some lighthearted competition to keep things organized and get everyone excited and involved. There is a variety of ways to incorporate it, too. At a themed birthday or Halloween party, for instance, you can encourage everyone to come in costume. Then, vote on which costumes should earn fun titles like scariest, most creative, and best DIY. You can even send small prizes in the mail.
Another crowd-pleasing way to add some competition is with a party game. There are lots of options, like charades, that need nothing more than your webcam, tablet, or smartphone. You can also mix things up with virtual party games, which can be easily found online.
Keeping the Family Together
At Serenity Home Care, we understand how hard it is to be separated from your loved ones. That’s why our in-home care providers make it easy for our clients to keep in touch with their families. To find out more about how we care for your loved ones and help them arrange virtual celebrations, contact us today.
