4 Tips To Make The Most Of A Virtual Holiday Celebration

24 Nov 2020 by HOMBRE in Cuisine, Decorating, General, Home, Music, Pleasure, Products, Spirits

Not unlike the rest of this roller-coaster year, the 2020 holiday season is sure to look a lot different than what we’re used to. The advice from scientific experts has been clear: to be certain we’re not exacerbating the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s best that this year, holiday celebrations—which include Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving,  the annual office party, family Christmas gatherings, and everything in between—are held virtually. But how do you make the most of these celebrations? Read below for practical advice from Josh Wood and Mimi Eayrs, principals of event planning firm JWP.

After eight long months of living in quarantine only we find ourselves yet again on the brink of a full blown lockdown. For most of us, the last thing we want to do is add yet another Zoom call to our calendars—but when the alternative is foregoing the holidays altogether, it’s worth at least considering how we might make a virtual celebration anything other than clumsy and depressing.

Josh Wood and Mimi Eayrs, principals at Event Planning Firm JWP

To find answers we consulted Wood and Eayrs, the duo behind JWP, a leading force in event production, fundraising, and celebrity engagement. The firm has pioneered major events over the past 25+ years including the Highline Festival with David Bowie, Madonna’s Raising Malawi benefit, The Hudson River Park Friends fundraiser, and dozens of amFAR events that have raised more than $100M. In the COVID era, they have been busier than ever with virtual events such as City Harvest’s New York Foodathon hosted by Seth Meyers, amFAR and Carine Rotfield’s Fashion Unites event that raised millions to fight the pandemic, and even digital campaign fundraisers for now President-Elect Joe Biden.So, is there anything that can be done to save the 2020 holidays? Absolutely, Wood and Eayrs suggest the following:

1. Assign roles—
Designate a host who will take care of sending out invites, setting up the Zoom room, etc. Is someone in the family particularly tech-savvy? Have them on standby to assist any relatives experiencing complications—this will happen. Would an emcee be appropriate, or even just a prayer leader? By sorting out roles and responsibilities ahead of time, you’ll set the family up for a stress-free h0liday. 

2. Details, details, details—
In 2020, it’s all about the small things that bring us joy. To that end, don’t skimp on decorating your Zoom background (or entire house, if you’re up for it) and by all means, dress up.  Celebrations are sure to be shorter this year—Eayrs recommends keeping events under an hour or so—surely we can all tolerate a couple of hours in something other than our sweatpants.

3. Have a plan and set expectations—
In addition to roles and responsibilities, think hard about what the celebration will actually look like. How long will it last (no more than two hours, please)? What will everyone do; for how long and in what order? Will you all prepare a meal and eat together? Since these are, after all, the holidays, how can you avoid the event descending into chaos where everyone is shouting over one another? Wherever possible, consider topics of conversation and organizational strategies (hand-raising, host control of participant volume, etc.) to ensure even shy relatives have the opportunity to catch up with everyone. Some family members might initially poke fun at you for overplanning, but in the end they’ll thank you. 

4. Don’t abandon tradition—
Every family has its own intricacies, including holiday traditions. Does yours always sing a certain song before dinner, pose for family portraits throughout the day, or enjoy a certain dish? While things cannot and will not be exactly the same this year, many of these things can be translated to a virtual setting. Go ahead and sing that song before dinner, choppy Zoom lag and all; snap that screenshot at the end of the day, and be sure to ask Tia Rosita for her famous coquito recipe ASAP. The only downside there, and it’s a big one, is that you’ll be toasting with a lot less people.

Still, make the most of the Holiday season and place the health and well-being of those closest to you at the top of the priority list so you can all live to enjoy 2021 and beyond.

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