Creative Ways to Spark Holiday Cheer When We Can’t Celebrate Together

• Navigating the holidays while being physically apart brings unique challenges; and for those undergoing cancer treatment, the festive season may carry additional considerations and emphasize the importance of creating a supportive and adaptable environment.

  Despite the physical distance, the holidays can still shine with shared traditions, expressions of love, and the collective hope for brighter times ahead. Below are some creative ideas for sharing in the joy of the holidays when the ones we cherish are miles away:

  • Plan a Shared Virtual Meal: Try scheduling a video call for your family to enjoy some of the same traditions you typically share during the holidays. During the call, you could enjoy a meal, open gifts, or light candles together. There are many free video applications to use, so do your research and find the best one for your family beforehand!
  • Cook Together: Your family may have a recipe that is important during traditional holiday gatherings. If so, you could join each other virtually as various households prep and cook that dish together! You may want to focus your time on bonding before the meal and talking about the many memories you have together.
  • Send a Thanksgiving or Holiday Care Package: You can always mail or drop off items that are special to your family members in other households. It could be a favorite dessert or treat, or maybe decorations that a child has made to add some joy to the holiday table!
  • Share Messages of Gratitude With Each Other: Everyone in your family could try writing out something they are thankful for, and during a virtual call, each person could share what they wrote. You can even make a book as a keepsake with some photos of everyone’s holiday table!
  • Create a Holiday Playlist Together: To do this, everyone could add their favorite holiday songs to a combined playlist on a music application. Listening to each other’s favorites will make everyone feel more connected, and you could even play the music in the background during a video call!
  • Play a Game Together Over Video: You can grab Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, or Charades and play over the phone! You might not be in the same room, but it’s still guaranteed to produce smiles, laughs, and memories.

  While this holiday season may be difficult, there are many ways to connect with those we love when we can’t see them in person. Making unique memories this year will always be something to share later on and could spark new traditions in the future!