Like many other special occasions this year, the holidays will be celebrated differently. The COVID-19-related rules vary across Canada, with some provinces recently tightening their restrictions. Some people are facing much more time alone than they usually would, and others are experiencing more family stress than usual due to disagreements over what is safe (or not) during the holidays, given the pandemic.

In hopes of helping you find a happy, less stressful medium, we’ve compiled a list of 8 ways to celebrate the holidays during the pandemic.

1. SHARE A MEAL AT A DISTANCE (USING A FOOD DELIVERY SERVICE)

Just because you can’t gather together physically doesn’t mean you can’t eat together. We recommend scheduling a time to share a meal with your friends or family members using an online video conferencing/video chatting platform. It’s the perfect time to redeem 20,000 of your LEO points for $20 in Uber Eats credits! Everyone can order what they like (which is a dream for picky eaters!) and gather together virtually and safely from their respective homes.

2. SEND HOLIDAY CARDS VIA SNAIL MAIL

We’re an online platform, but we recognize that not everyone has internet access or wants to use the internet. If you have family members that aren’t online, this year is a great opportunity to take some extra time to send personalized holiday cards. Don’t forget to leave extra time to mail them, as post offices are expected to be very busy.

3. CREATE A VIRTUAL HOLIDAY PHOTO COLLECTION (OPTIONAL: HAVE A CONTEST!)

This year, many families will be missing out on their holiday photos for safety reasons. We suggest using a photo-sharing platform (for example, Dropbox; Google Drive, if your family members have Google accounts; etc.) to create an online folder that all of your family members have access to. Everyone can submit their favourite holiday photos and look through all the photos that have been submitted. If you would like to add a bit of friendly competition, you could ask everyone to submit their nomination for the best photo to a designated family member, who will count the votes and announce the winner after the holidays end.

4. USE AN APP TO HAVE A VIRTUAL HOLIDAY MOVIE MARATHON

Various apps (such as Netflix Party, Houseparty, Twoseven, etc.) are available that allow family members and friends who are spread across different households to watch movies at the same time. Don’t forget that if you press pause, the movie pauses for everyone. You will also need to check whether everyone watching needs to have an account on the platform and whether they have the necessary technology to participate before scheduling your marathon. This is a great way to make sure you can still enjoy your favourite holiday movies together!

5. DRIVE (OR WALK) THROUGH YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD TO LOOK AT THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS

To help cope with loneliness and sadness related to the pandemic, some Canadians have started putting up their holiday lights earlier this year. Driving or walking through your neighbourhood with people from your immediate household is a great way to enjoy the beauty that the holiday season has to offer (and to step away from your computer and phone screens). This is a fun activity for people of all ages.

6. HAVE A HOLIDAY-THEMED POWERPOINT PARTY

PowerPoint isn’t just for producing reports and presentation decks anymore! During the pandemic, PowerPoint parties have become quite popular. To host your own party, invite a few family members or friends to participate in advance (you can host the party using an online video conferencing/video chatting platform: just don’t forget to confirm everyone has access beforehand). Everyone who participates needs to choose a topic they are passionate about and create a short presentation for the rest of the group. Of course, we suggest using a holiday theme (such as what is the best holiday side dish and why)!

To learn more or find suggestions, you can use any online search engine and search for “PowerPoint party.”

Note: You don’t actually need to use PowerPoint. Any presentation tool that allows you to present slides to others will work!)

7. HOST A REMOTE JACKBOX PARTY TO PLAY GAMES VIRTUALLY

Do your holiday plans usually include playing games with friends and family members? There’s a way to do that virtually! Using the Jackbox platform, you can purchase games that can be played by multiple people on video game consoles, cell phones, and more. In our experience, these games are a great way to laugh and have fun together, and during this pandemic, we could all use a few more smiles. Click here to learn how you can play Jackbox games remotely during the holidays with your friends and family members.

8. PARTICIPATE IN LEO’S ADVENT CALENDAR CONTEST

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS THIS YEAR?

TELL US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.

Note: LEO is not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in this article. 

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