We can’t always be together with everyone on Christmas but we can have a virtual Christmas to celebrate with everyone near and far.
I originally wrote this back in 2021 when so many families spent Christmas apart. And while your reasons now may be the same or totally different we did learn a lot of great ways to stay connected even when we can’t be together physically.
We can take those tools and creative ideas and now celebrate Christmas even when our loved ones are far away! The key is planning early and being creative. As someone that has had at least a somewhat virtual Christmas since 2020 I have some great tips to share with you.
Planning a Virtual Christmas
Consider Having Different Plans Ready
Things can change, maybe you think only part of Christmas will be virtual or maybe right now you don’t think it will need to be but maybe someone gets sick or needs to travel.
Having a couple of options ready to go means you won’t be stressed if something comes up.
Keep Everyone’s Needs in Mind
Even if things aren’t like they were in 2020 there are still a lot of illness outbreaks and other reasons that plans need to change. And everyone has different needs around the holidays, maybe they are high risk or have young children and no babysitter.
Christmas is a wonderful time but it’s not worth risking anyone’s health and it’s always nice to be able to include everyone.
You can’t likely make one thing work for every single person but planning ahead and talking together about what can make things easier will help.
Consider Unique Ideas
Some of the things my family has done since 2020 include having a Christmas party with friends via Zoom. We even hired someone to host Christmas trivia for us! It was a lot of fun and friends with small kids were able to put their kids down and still attend, no babysitters necessary.
Start planning early and maybe even have a brainstorming virtual call with friends and family. It’s like an extra Christmas celebration early!
Related Post: 11 Virtual Christmas Party Ideas
Celebrate Christmas Day Online
Virtual Christmas parties are lots of fun but what about Christmas Day? If you are going to be apart on Christmas Day or maybe Christmas Eve you can still celebrate together.
My family has had several Christmases where we have celebrated on Zoom. We get gifts to each other before the day, set up our devices in our living rooms, and open gifts and chat like we would in person.
It may not be the same but getting to see more people than you otherwise would is always nice. Even before 2020, one year on Christmas Eve we had a Zoom call with a cousin that was overseas. People were walking around chatting like normal and everyone also got a chance to check in with the cousin.
Think about it as adding to your day not how it would be better to all be together.
Stay Organized
I have created a free printable that will help me organize these new and different circumstances. It’s a good place to do your early planning. You can get a free copy of the printable below.
This is just part of my plan and organization. I will also be using my Christmas planner to help me keep track of all the details and not have to worry about keeping all of it in my head.
If you feel like you need more support during this time with trying to make Christmas magically be sure to join the free Stress-Free Christmas Community. It’s a great place to ask questions and learn from others.Â
More Christmas Planning Help
Planning will always be one of the best ways to reduce stress so be sure to check out these other Christmas planning resources.
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