COVID may have put a lock on your fun gatherings and parties. However, you can still find loopholes in hosting these parties without risking anyone’s safety. How is that possible? In our current day and age, where everything is shifting virtually, you can throw an enjoyable virtual dinner to see your friends and family. While this won’t be exactly like the real deal of physically being with each other, it is a good alternative.

So, how exactly do we go around hosting these gatherings?

Depending on the laws in your state regarding COVID-19 safety measures, you may only be allowed to have a few guests. So, depending on whether you would like to host a few people and keep the rest online or perhaps completely go with a virtual gathering, it is up to you. With modern technology, you can celebrate the occasion via Zoom or any other app. Sometimes, these meetings start a little awkward, with people unintentionally cutting each other off. Still, slowly, people get the hang of it, and it can potentially be a memorable event.

Certain people, such as older people, won’t be able to attend your gathering physically. Make them feel comfortable with the party playlists turned on and have some activities that will allow these attendees to feel connected with everyone. Music is an amazing tool for making a moment special and enjoyable for everyone. A synced playlist will enable everyone who is physically there, as well as virtually, to enjoy the tunes and dance to the beat in unity. In this instance, you can make use of Spotify. Keep the music age-appropriate and diverse so every one of every age can vibe to the tunes.

Cook on Camera

Usually, for physical gatherings, the actual meal is the most important part of the gatherings, so in times when your virtual guests won’t be able to take part in the feast, you can allow them to watch you get in on the meal prep, which helps them to feel more included. Cooking together will enable people to feel less alone, and you can make fun memories during this activity. However, you must know that this requires clear direction to make it an easy experience for everyone.

If everyone is cooking with you, you must give clear instructions on what must be done beforehand. For example, having premixed ingredients or marinated meats must be clear to your guests. You should provide an ingredient list of all the items so your guests will be ready and prepared. When choosing what to cook, don’t be overly ambitious by having too many meals. Two to three meals is more than enough, and anything more than this can lead to chaos. Leave the difficult, intensive recipes off the menu and stick to sides and desserts.

Decorate together

People gather together at the dinner table to laugh and enjoy the experience. The table decor is important whether it’s minimally decorated or looks extravagant. Your guests can follow the same style when decorating their table to create a sense of uniformity.

Beforehand, you can assign someone to be in charge of the table decorating and have the details of the color scheme and accents decided. Please do this comfortably before your gathering so your guests can also go out and purchase their decor. This allows all the tables to look uniform and have the same vibe. Decorating the table can also include candles, tablecloths, vases, etc. You can encourage guests to follow a similar scheme, but it is fine if people are more practical and add tweaks that alter their tastes and homes.

Planning

To add to the uniformity of the parties, you can assign a tech-savvy family member to design a festive Zoom background. To organize the event you can send invitations to everyone. Have a theme, such as outfits, or have games and trivia contests involved. These little pre-planned games will keep the event moving and eventful. Before going into your event, make sure to plan all the details. You can even have cards on what you want to discuss, for example, how’s the family? Or even how’s the dog doing?

This is the year to create and reinvent traditions, so feel free to get as creative as possible to create a memorable experience for everyone. Having fun celebrations online this way ensures you won’t miss out on anything and will continue making memories with your loved ones despite the distance.