Hosting Virtual Gatherings and Dinners During Coronavirus
Covid may have put a lock on your fun gatherings and parties, however you can still find loopholes to host these parties without risking anyone's safety. How is that possible you ask? In the current day and age we live in 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 safety measures you may be allowed to only 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 completely virtual gathering is up to you. With modern technology you can celebrate the occasion virtually using zoom or any other app of your choice. Sometimes these meetings start off a little awkward with people unintentionally cutting each other off, but slowly people get the hang of it and it can potentially be a memorable event.
As certain people such as the elderly won't be able to attend your gathering physically, make them feel comfortable with the party playlists turned on and have some activities which 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 allow 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 everyone 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 where 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 allows them to feel more included. Cooking together will allow people to feel less alone and you can make fun memories during this activity. However you will need to know that this requires a level of clear direction and order to make it an easy experience for everyone.
If in the case that everyone will be cooking with you must give clear instructions on what must be done in advance. For example having premixed ingredients or marinated meats must be made clear to your guests. You should provide an ingredients list beforehand of all the items included so that 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
The dinner table is where people gather together to laugh and enjoy the experience. The table decor plays an important role whether it's minimally decorated or looking 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 color scheme and accents decided. Do this at a comfortable time before your gathering so it allows your guests to go out and purchase their decor as well. This allows all the tables to look uniform and have the same vibe. Decorating the table can also include candles, table clothes and vases, etc. You can encourage guests to follow a similar scheme but it is fine if people are more practical and add tweaks altered to their own taste and home.
Planning
To add in on the uniformity of the parties, you can assign a tech savvy family member to design a festive zoom background. In order to organize the event you can send invitations to everyone. Have a theme set up such as outfits, or having 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 talk about 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 makes sure you won't be missing out on anything and will continue making memories with your loved ones despite the distance.
