December is here, and it’s time for holiday parties. Things are different this year. With school, work, and even our workouts done virtually, our celebrations are going to be online. So, how do you make your holiday party feel like more than just another meeting?
Whether you’re planning a family gathering, an office party, a kids playdate, or an adults night out, it IS possible to bring out the festive, joyful feelings of the winter holidays in a virtual way.
]]>Whether you’re planning a family gathering, an office party, a kids playdate, or an adults night out, it IS possible to bring out the festive, joyful feelings of the winter holidays in a virtual way.
Read on for 24 Virtual Holiday Party ideas.
Ready for some good, clean, chilly fun?
Don’t Break the Ice - Read off a list of items (progressively further away from the computer). Players must go get the item and bring it back, without stepping on the ice (floor).
Download the Winter Wonderland Scavenger Hunt, which will keep everyone on their toes, and Think Fast, a quick-moving word game.
Make a Sock Monkey (see Dec. 14) or a Snowman for someone to snuggle up with in front of the fire on a cold day.
Cocoa Taste Test - Start with 3 small mugs of hot chocolate. Add a different flavor to each one, try them all, and vote on your favorite.
Flavors to try: Peppermint Candy Cane, Cayenne & Cinnamon (aka, Mexican Cocoa), Sea Salt & Caramel, Maraschino Cherry, Orange, Raspberry… Adults can try some using liqueur flavorings. Find recipes for 22 types of hot chocolate at Brit + Co.
Read a Story - Try The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats.
Compliments Tag - The party emcee starts. Type a message in the chat with a compliment about one person. That person then types a compliment to someone else (be sure to choose someone who hasn’t already had a compliment). Continue until everyone has had a turn.
Stealthy Elf - Give everyone 5 or 10 minutes to create an elf out of any supplies at hand. Throughout the party, sneak your elf onto the screen (in the background, hidden in your clothes, sneaking up from the bottom of the screen, etc.) Each time you show the elf, you get a point. If someone sees it, you’re out (but you still get that point.) The person with the most points at the end of the party wins. Tally your own points—honor method.
Secret Santa - A gift exchange in a virtual environment is a little tricky. Start early and instruct everyone to send their anonymous gift to the recipient, to be opened during your Zoom call (be sure to use your company HQ address in the return address spot). Try to guess who the giver is, based on the gift itself.
The Naughty List - Each person holds up 10 fingers to start. The host reads a list of “naughty” holiday statements. (For example, ‘I have re-gifted a present’). Players put one finger down for each statement that is not true for them. Person with the most fingers left up is at the top of the naughty list.
Can You Hear Me Now? - Test your communication skills. The speaker is given a simple line drawing, which s/he describes to everyone else using only geometric terms. The others draw what is being described. When five minutes is up, compare the original picture with whatever your co-workers have drawn. Do they look the same?
Silly Staff Awards - (Requires Advance Preparation) Before the party, think of a funny award for each person attending. They can be humorous or serious, or a combination of both. (for example: Most likely to be wearing pajama pants. Longest hair growth during lock down.) Read the description and let people try to guess who the recipient of each award may be.
Awkward Family Photo Recreations - (Requires advance preparation) Have each household recreate a childhood photo with similar clothes & pose. Show the photo & then see the re-enactment live. Vote for funniest, best interpretation, most changed, etc.
Christmas Printables - Download and play Christmas Bingo, Conversation Cards, Think Fast, or Scavenger Hunt.
Two Truths & a Lie: Choose a category like ‘Truly Awful Gifts & Holiday Memories’ (be careful not to offend anyone who may have given you that gift!). Each person takes a turn telling two things that are true, and one lie (in random order). Everyone else tries to guess which was the lie. Wrong guesses each earn a point for the Speaker. Correct guesses earn a point for the guesser. Play until everyone has had a turn.
White Elephant Gift Exchange - Ask everyone to wrap something they already have but no longer want. At your event, choose names randomly. The first person chooses any gift, and the giver opens it and displays it for everyone to see. The second person chooses whether to steal the first gift or choose an unopened gift to open. If your gift is stolen, you can steal or open a new gift. Keep going until everyone has opened something. Player 1 may do a final steal. Everyone delivers or mails their gift to the final recipient after your party.
Retire that Holiday Attire! - This goes beyond the ugly sweater contest. Read off a list of holiday clothing items and accessories (holiday socks, anything with a jingle bell, etc.). Each person tallies how many of those items s/he is wearing. The person wearing the most items of holiday garb wins.
Poker Face Thank Yous Photo Shoot - Ever receive a really awful or strange gift? Pretend you just opened one in front of the person who gave it to you, and pose for a screen shot with the look on your face as you react to the item and thank them for being so thoughtful.
Wrapping Paper Recreations - Choose a movie and try to get people to guess what it is by re-creating a scene using only wrapping paper, a box, tape/scissors, & a bow.
Glam it Up Model Walk - Get dressed up, just like you would if you were going out to a New Year’s Eve party. Pair up in breakout rooms for 10-15 minutes & write a runway description of your partner’s outfit. Back with the group, each guest takes a turn on the ‘catwalk,’ with their partner reading the description. Take screenshots or video. It may be the only time during quarantine you’re this glammed up!
Ten Strikes - This is 'Never Have I Ever' with an online twist. Everyone holds up all 10 fingers. The youngest person goes first & shares a true statement about themselves. Everyone else either keeps all their fingers up (if the statement is true for you too); Or puts down one finger (if the statement is NOT true for you). The last person with any fingers up wins a spot on the Nice list.
Mixology - Share the recipes for two fancy cocktails, and make them together. OR Have each person take a turn to demonstrate how to make their favorite drink recipe with the group (Be sure to share supply lists in advance).
Holiday Special - Turn non-Christmas movies into Christmas movies by describing a fictional “deleted scene” The most outlandish wins.
Hallmark Holiday Movie Buzzwords - Make a list together of the cheesiest themes and sappiest words featured in holiday romance movies. Then watch one together and be the first to call out every time your words come up.
I hope these holiday party ideas help you have a Virtual Holiday Party to Remember! Feel free to mix and match the games, or change the themes and make your party your own.
Which of these activities are you most excited to try? I’d love to hear how your online holiday party goes. Please let us know in the comments below.
Here’s to a safe holiday season filled with festive celebrations with friends and family, near and far.
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]]>It’s Bingo’s Birthday Month. Grab a dauber and play!
The game we know today was created in December 1929 by Edwin S. Lowe. It’s based on the US carnival game called “Beano,” (named for the beans used to mark off the spaces). Bingo-type lottery games date back to the 1530s in Italy.
Every single day in December there’s something to celebrate and do for fun. Be creative! Leave a comment below and let us know how you spend your special days.
Take a drive tonight and enjoy the glow of the holiday season. #ChristmasLightsDay
Show a mixed breed dog some love today. Visit your local animal shelter and ask if you can walk or play with the pups on #NationalMuttDay.
Grab a glue stick and make something meaningful! There’s something extra special about handmade gifts. Here's one to try:
Make meaningful, customized Word Clouds for everyone on your list. This free site lets you choose a shape, colors, fonts, words to include, and their weight and size. It's super easy and very personal. Plus, it will get your kids thinking of nice things to say about the recipient. #MakeAGiftDay
What’s your favorite kind of cookie? Bake some today for #NationalCookieDay.
Practice your Ninja stealth skills today:
Read The Mitten Tree, by Candace Christiansen , about a woman who knits mittens for a boy in need and leaves them for him to find. Then grab some yarn in your favorite color and learn how to knit your own mittens for #MittenTreeDay.
Reach out to someone you care about the old fashioned way—with a handwritten letter on special stationery. It’s a great way to practice handwriting and develop storytelling skills. (And you’ll probably brighten someone’s day.) #LetterWritingDay
Ready to fire up your imagination? Choose one player as the time traveler and one who is from the current day.
The time traveler wears something from the era they’re from, asks questions about the modern things they see, and shares stories about life in their time.
The current day person asks questions and tries to guess the era the time traveler has come from.
This is a great game to play with friends or family online. #PretendToBeATimeTraveler
Work on Christmas Cards together. Reading through your list and addressing envelopes is a great time to share stories about friends or family who live far away. Have a map or an atlas handy and ask your kids to find the places your loved ones live, for a quick geography lesson. #ChristmasCardDay
Each year, Nobel Prizes are awarded “to those who have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind” in literature, physics, chemistry, peace, economics, and medicine. Learn about Malala, the youngest Nobel Laureate, who won the Peace Prize at age 17. Encourage your kids to dream big on #NobelPrizeDay.
Today’s the day to look for items you’ve lost. Celebrate when you find that missing sock from the dryer! Then have a fun game of hide and seek with your kids on #OfficialLostAndFoundDay.
Have fun building and decorating a sweet structure together for #GingerbreadHouseDay.
Whipped Cream or Marshmallows? Any way you like it, hot cocoa is comforting and delicious. Grab some mugs and enjoy a drink of the sweet, warm goodness while you read a book or watch a holiday movie together on #NationalCocoaDay.
There are lots of ways to celebrate our Simian friends: visit the zoo, snack on bananas or monkey bread, make a sock monkey, or gather a group of friends online for a fun game of Monkey See, Monkey Do. Finish up Monkey Day with a bedtime story about everyone’s favorite monkey, Curious George . #MonkeyDay
Bake some tiny treats, add sprinkles, and celebrate with your sweet little cupcake. #NationalCupcakeDay
Grab some Candy Melts and have fun experimenting! Cover foods with chocolate that have never been covered in chocolate before. You may just discover the next big candy craze! #ChocolateCoveredAnythingDay
Celebrate the Wright Brothers’ first successful flight in 1903 with a paper airplane contest or by building a model plane. #WrightBrothersDay
Answer every call today with, “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?” It’s sure to bring a smile to an underappreciated telemarketer’s face. #AnswerThePhoneLikeBuddyTheElfDay
Put down the cookies and put away the fudge! Today is the day to enjoy the sweet, colorful goodness of hard candy. Decorate the tree with some candy canes, try some exotic flavors like X or Y, or make your own lollipops. (Don’t forget your toothbrush!) #NationalHardCandyDay
Today’s a day to play! Let each family member choose their favorite game—whether it’s Monopoly, Jenga, Go Fish, Chess, or Soccer —and play them all throughout the day. Or enjoy online games with faraway friends or family:
Download one of our printable games, or playdates for virtual fun. #GamesDay
Light up the darkest day of the year (the winter solstice) with some fun flashlight activities. Play flashlight tag, make shadow animals, send secret messages via morse code, or go for a night hike together to celebrate #NationalFlashlightDay.
2020 won’t allow a traditional cookie exchange party, but you can swap recipes, fire up the oven, and make Grandma’s gingerbread at your house. Or invite Grandma (or whomever) to demonstrate her technique on a Zoom call, as you follow along and enjoy creating the warm goodies ‘together.’ #CookieExchangeDay
Are there any colorful characters in your family’s history? Do you know where your forefathers came from? Are there any physical characteristics that you can trace from generation to generation? Talk to your oldest family members and research public records or genealogy sites like ancestry to learn more about your family history on #NationalRootsDay.
Celebrate Christmas Eve with your family and enjoy this sweet, creamy holiday drink. Learn to make your own kid-friendly egg nog for #NationalEggnogDay.
Add some punny fun to your Joyeux Noel by celebrating No “L” Day. Do the No “L” Challenge:
Remind kids to show gratitude, and practice communication and penmanship skills by writing thank you notes (NO, a text doesn’t count)! Collect each kid’s opened gifts in a bag or box and let them ‘buy back’ each present with the thank you note to its giver. #NationalThankYouNoteDay
Enjoy the brisk December air with a visit to the zoo. Take pictures of the animals, and of yourselves mimicking their stance or facial expressions for a funny side-by-side comparison. (Be sure to check your zoo’s website for covid-related safety regulations or restricted hours. OR do a virtual zoo tour). #VisitTheZooDay
Ready for your closeup? Celebrate the day motion pictures were born by making a short, 1-minute film of your own. (In 1895, the Lumiere brothers of Paris, France wowed the first cinema audience with 10, 50-second moving pictures.) Plan out your story, gather some props and costumes, grab your smartphone, and...Action! #ShortFilmDay
Tick Tock Day is a reminder to complete any unfinished tasks for the year. Grab your planner from last January and get to work on those goals! (Or, you could spend the day making dance challenge videos and posting them on TikTok—Your choice.) #TickTockDay
Use it to leaven baked goods, brush your teeth, de-stink your fridge, or explode a model volcano. Have some fun experimenting with all that baking soda can do on #BicarbonateOfSodaDay.
It’s hard to make up your mind, especially when the stakes are high. This last day of the year is time to push aside indecisiveness, overcome your overthinking, make a decision, and stick to it (without looking back).
Start small: take a walk with your kids. At every corner, take turns deciding right, left, or straight. You may end up in a new part of your neighborhood, and discovering something wonderful.
Now, go home and decide on something bigger. It’s sure to turn into something wonderful, too. #MakeUpYourMindDay
Which activities from the December list did you try? How did it go? Share your stories and pictures in the comments below.
I hope you enjoy your holidays and celebrations all month long this December.
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]]>Writing is a fun (and educational) creative activity to keep kids away from technology ... at least for a little while. This is the first in a monthly series of writing prompts shared by Purple Pencil Adventures author Debra Eckerling. You'll discover family Thanksgiving traditions and compare celebrations from then and now.
The Celebrate.Together.Anywhere blog has new kids activities and resources posted every week—all designed to do either online or as a family unit.
]]>In this monthly series, Debra will share a writing exercise that is a fun activity for the whole family!
Grab a notebook* and your purple pencil*, and start writing!
Does your family have a Thanksgiving tradition? What is it? Do you watch the parade, cook together, or play a family football game? How will your family celebrations be altered this year?
Write about your family tradition, being as detailed as possible. Include what it is, who participates, and the origin of the tradition.
If your family does not yet have a special way to celebrate Thanksgiving, perhaps now is the time to start a tradition.
Come up with an idea, write it out, and present it to your family.
Did you know that the day after Thanksgiving is the National Day of Listening?
Interview a grandparent or another older relative during a virtual call. Ask about Thanksgiving traditions he or she remembers doing as a child, and listen to what he or she has to say.
Write an essay comparing the holiday now with the holiday then. Share your writing with the person you interviewed.
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Debra Eckerling is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals*, as well as the self-published Write On Blogging: 51 Tips to Plan, Write & Promote Your Blog* and Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages.* A project catalyst and communications specialist, Debra is the founder of The D*E*B Method. DEB stands for Determine Your Mission, Explore Your Options, Brainstorm Your Path. She works with individuals and businesses to set goals and manage their projects through one-on one coaching, workshops, and online support.
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*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. —Jen
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When you’ve gotten past “Hello,” and “My, how you’ve grown,” and “How’s the weather where you are?”...then what?
Here are 10 ideas for your virtual family Thanksgiving. These activities will keep conversation flowing, and help your holiday feel more like an intimate family gathering and less like a meeting.
Note: Requires advance preparation.
Sad that you’re going to miss Grandma’s pumpkin pie, or another special family recipe this year? Ask family members who always make a signature dish to share their recipes in advance. Give a deadline of about a week before Thanksgiving, so everyone has time to buy the ingredients and prepare them for their own households.
During your get-together, have everyone show their versions of Grandma’s pumpkin pie. How alike or different did they turn out? Then enjoy them together.
Bonus: Have Grandma lead a virtual cooking class, and make her special pie together—online. She’ll share her secrets and tips, and you’ll all enjoy some fun family time together.
This is a nice way to show gratitude and give everyone something to smile about. Near the beginning of your get-together, explain the rules for this online game of tag.
Choose someone to be “it.” S/he types a compliment about one other person in the chat window. That person becomes the new "it," and sends a compliment to someone else. Play continues until everyone has been “it.” (The last person gives a compliment to the first “it.”)
If you want to play another round, change from compliments to thanking someone for something nice they’ve done.
Note: Requires advance preparation.
In this Virtual Thanksgiving version of Secret Santa, each household sends an anonymous gift to another household. Be sure to give plenty of time for secret Pilgrim gifts to be delivered!
Set a price limit and use the Secret Santa Generator or Elfster Secret Santa Name Generator to choose names randomly. Each household sends a gift to the recipient they’re assigned.
During your virtual party, the gifts are opened one-by-one. First, the host announces which family they sent a gift to. As the recipients open the gift and show it on the camera for everyone to see, the givers tell everyone why they’re thankful for the recipients.
Then the receiving family announces which household they sent a gift to, explain what they appreciate about them, and so on. Play until every household has opened their gift.
Avoid awkward lulls in the conversation with some talking prompts. Have each household print & cut out these Thanksgiving Conversation Cards and place the cards in a bowl or bag.
Your party host chooses someone to play first. S/he draws a card, answers the question on it, and places it back in the bowl. That person chooses someone to go next. Play until everyone has answered at least one.
You may just learn something new about the people you know the best.
Make a list of Thanksgiving-related items or activities that can be found around the house, or download our Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt Printable. [Coming Soon]
The host calls out the first thing on the list, and everyone else runs to get it. The first person to return to the camera with the item gets a point. When everyone has returned, call out the next item on the list. Continue through the entire list. The person with the most points can be declared the winner.
This classic guessing game is fun to play virtually. It’s easy on Zoom. Use a Random Word Generator to create drawing prompts. (This one lets you choose Holidays: Thanksgiving for party-appropriate words.)
In Zoom, the person drawing should share their screen and select the whiteboard feature, which allows you to draw using the mouse. Set a timer for 60 seconds, draw your word, and see if the other teams can guess.
Note: Requires advance preparation.
You may not be gathered around the same table, but you can make your tables look similar by creating centerpieces from the same materials.
Each household should gather or order the items listed below, so that everyone has the same things.
During your gathering, set a timer for 10 minutes, and instruct each group to design and create a holiday centerpiece, using only those materials.
Compare everyone’s final masterpiece and appreciate how creativity abounds in your family! If your people are competitive, you can have everyone vote and declare a winner.
Gather or Buy:
Gourd & Leaf Assortment* Raffia*
...Brady Bunch style! With your meeting in gallery view, call out different poses to assume and take screen shots of everyone.
Try these, to get some silly pictures: Say Cheese... Act like a Turkey… Pretend you’re looking at someone else in the Zoom window—look up, down, or to the side… You ate too much--show me your tryptophan food coma look!
You may not be around the same table, but you can count your blessings and kick off your Thanksgiving dinner together.
Simulate a Circle of Thanks by reaching toward the camera as if you're joining hands. Or, raise your glass to the camera and toast all that you're thankful for.
Spend the day after Thanksgiving shopping together, without the crowds! Just log on to a Zoom meeting, visit your favorite store’s website, and discuss what you see. You can share your screen to look at the same items together, or shop independently and tell everyone what you’ve found (and the great deals you’re getting).
I hope these activities help your family enjoy Thanksgiving, and feel connected despite the fact that you can't be together in person.
Which activities will your family enjoy? I'd love to hear how your Virtual Thanksgiving Party goes. What works? What doesn't? Did your family do anything not on this list? Let me know in the comments, below.
Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful (and safe) virtual holiday with your family and friends, near and far.
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]]>The Celebrate.Together.Anywhere blog has new kids activities and resources posted every week—all designed to do either online or as a family unit.
]]>It’s Family Stories Month. While the 2020 lockdown means that most of us won’t be attending family gatherings for Thanksgiving this year, it has opened up the opportunity to connect with loved ones virtually—including that distant aunt or cousin we wouldn’t normally see at Thanksgiving.
Want to avoid awkward lulls in the conversation during your family’s Thanksgiving Zoom call? Our Thanksgiving Playdate [Coming Soon] has games, activities, and talking prompts to keep the conversation flowing.
Every single day in November, there’s something to celebrate and make fun. Be creative and let me know how you spend your special days.
Enjoy the flavor and scent all day. Make cinnamon toast or cinnamon rolls together for breakfast. Light a cinnamon candle*. Warm up a cool autumn day with spiced apple cider. #CinnamonDay
What should the world remember about you? Can you sum up what’s most important to you in just a few words? Celebrate the day after Day of the Dead Day with #PlanYourEpitaphDay.
How many overused expressions can you use today? Dust off your old favorites, and throw in some 2020 cliches like “new normal” or “in these uncertain times.” Eye rolling is optional on #ClicheDay.
SWEET! Do you prefer chocolates, hard candies, or sticky, soft chews? What was your favorite candy as a kid that’s hard to find now? I loved Zotz* and Bottlecaps*. #NationalCandyDay
Take charge of the kitchen, guys! Whether you love to cook, or tend to stay far away from the stove, today’s the day to break free from stereotypes and hone your culinary skills. No takeout allowed! #MenMakeDinnerDay
What do you like on your nachos? Make a stack with your kids and enjoy the cheesy goodness on #NationalNachosDay.
Combine today's Nachos Day with Fibbonacci Day on the 23rd and you get...Fibbonachos!
Grab your glove and go play catch with your kids. Then enjoy the story of the All-American Girls Baseball League in A League of Their Own*. There’s no crying on #LittleLeagueGirlsDay.
A good pun is its own reword. Celebrate your favorite punny wordplay today—and give them more than just a groan for #AbetAndAidPunstersDay.
You can visit art museums around the world—from the Met, to the Louvre, to the Ufizzi Gallery—all in one day with virtual tours. #GoToAnArtMuseumDay
What’s your favorite segment or character from Sesame Street? Watch it together with your kids on #SesameStreetDay.
Explore what shapes you can create by folding paper*. #OrigamiDay
Grab the latest book of world records* for hours of shocking fun facts. #GuinnessWorldRecordsDay
Do something just to be nice. #World KindnessDay
A snuggly friend can provide lots of comfort during difficult times. Introduce your favorite bear to a friend with our Teddy Bear Talk Show Playdate. [Coming Soon] #AmericanTeddyBearDay
Write a story or a poem together. Write down your kids’ favorite bedtime story. Or check Purple Pencil Adventures for fun writing prompts on #ILoveToWriteDay.
Step aside, zippers and velcro: today’s the day we celebrate the lowly button! Count them*, sort them, use them to hold your clothes together...where would we be without buttons? #ButtonDay
Find a trail and enjoy the great outdoors, together. #NationalTakeAHikeDay
Treat her like royalty, just for today. National #PrincessDay
Work your way around the Monopoly* board. Watch out for those hotels! #NationalPlayMonopolyDay
Does your computer have a name? Today’s the day to give it one! #NameYourPCDay
Make someone smile and help promote international peace through interpersonal communication. Say hello to 10 people today—at a safe distance or online. #WorldHelloDay
In a car, on a bike, on a bus, in a plane… Get out of the house for a little while and discover something new, together. #GoForARideDay
See how math is found in nature. Learn more about #FibonacciDay, then go take a walk and see how many you spot.
What can you do that others can’t? Hold an online talent show on Zoom and share your special skills with your family and friends. #CelebrateYourUniqueTalentDay
Play some oldies tunes* and have a 50s-style dance party on National #JukeboxDay.
Celebrate all you have to be thankful for with your loved ones. Download virtual #Thanksgiving activities and conversation prompts to help everyone connect. [Coming Soon]
Talk to relatives at Thanksgiving and record their stories to preserve part of your family history. #DayOfListening
Enjoy a delicious breakfast with your kids. What do you put on your french toast? #NationalFrenchToastDay
Learn a few moves and have a fun square dance party with your kids for National #SquareDanceDay.
Make some Mason Jar* holiday gifts together with your kids. Here are 44 ideas from dodoburd.com. National #MasonJarDay
I hope you enjoy your celebrations together all month long this November.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
]]>We searched the internet and found 10 new ways people are distributing treats while maintaining social distancing. Some are highly technical and complex. Some are super simple. All of them provide creative solutions to this year’s Trick-or-Treating challenges.
]]>Want to keep the sweet tradition going this year, but keep yourself and the kids 6 feet apart?
We searched the internet and found 10 new ways people are distributing treats while maintaining social distancing.
Some are highly technical and complex. Some are super simple. All of them provide creative solutions to this year’s Trick-or-Treating challenges:
Ohio dad Andrew Beatty started the brilliant idea of a Trick-or-Treat Tube. He drops candy in without leaving his porch. It slides down the chute, landing directly in a trick-or-treater’s bag or bucket.
“I’ve been wanting to do something similar to [this] for awhile,” he says, “to help people with mobility issues. It’s a good idea this time of year when people are getting colds and things to have that little bit of extra distance.” This year, it’s a perfect solution for keeping Halloween fun—and safe—for neighborhood kids.
Andrew attached a six foot cardboard shipping tube, painted orange, to the railing on his front porch for an easy, no-touch candy distribution system.
Others have embellished Andrew’s original idea, adding decorations, lights, and creatures to the candy chute. They’ve used materials from PVC pipe to rain gutters, to dryer vent tubing for their slides, all with the same goal: to keep the Trick-or-Treating tradition alive for Halloween 2020.
Want to make a Candy Chute of your own? Buy: 3’ Clear Plastic Tube | Orange Duct Tape | Orange String Lights | Trick or Treat, Stay 6 Feet Yard Sign**
Matt Thompson from Michigan created a zip line from his house to the sidewalk, which delivers treats for the kids and drinks for their parents, too!
Watch as a ghost flies across Matt’s lawn to deliver the candy and then speeds back into position so he can reload it for the next guests. Pretty cool!
Candy DOES grow on trees (or fences, or clotheslines)... Here’s a creative and covid-safe candy distribution method that anyone can apply. Prepare small bags of treats and tie them in the trees or bushes, or attach to a fence near the sidewalk. Kids can take one package from a safe distance away for worry-free trick-or-treating.
Want to do this at home? Buy: Black Clothespins | Treat Bags | Trick or Treat Hanging Signs**
The folks at Redneck Rhapsody made a clever “Sucker Stop” tree from PVC pipe and string lights. Just drill holes the size of your lollipop sticks, add a sucker to each hole, and kids can grab a treat with no contact.
Want to make your own Sucker Tree? Buy: Tootsie Pops**
Send trick-or-treaters on an Easter egg-style hunt around your yard or front step. Pull out your plastic Easter eggs, or get some cute pumpkin-shaped ‘eggs.’ Fill them with treats and hide them. This is a quick way to provide simple and safe trick-or-treating fun.
Want to Hide Your Halloween Candy? Buy: Pumpkin Easter Eggs**
This candy dispenser from Barkers Random Projects is a really cool way to give out just one piece of candy at the touch of a button. The video provides a behind-the-scenes look at how things work, and gives you an appreciation for the amount of thought and trial & error that go into creating a highly technical trick-or-treat solution like this.
Here’s something that can extend your reach to ensure a safe distance! Use a grabber to deliver candy from your bowl, directly into a trick-or-treater’s goody bag. For a little added fun, wear a costume that covers the grabber and makes you look like an extra spooky, long-armed creature.
Shop: Candy Grabber**
This candy robot created by Luke Keys of Texas definitely fits into the difficult-but-cool category! Have a robot deliver your Halloween candy for you, for a no-touch experience!
Yet another creative solution is to place your treats in a remote control car and drive them over to your trick-or-treaters. In this video, RCLifeOn from Sweden shows us his modified RC car with a special box that flips open to deliver treats.
Finally, for an explosive good time, Grant Thompson, the King of Random demonstrates how to make a pneumatic candy cannon out of sprinkler parts. It shoots treats 100 feet into the air, so they rain down around your trick-or-treaters for a very impressive delivery!
People have come up with a lot of creative ways to celebrate Halloween, while keeping it fun and safe in 2020. I hope this sparked some ideas for you, and helps you keep the trick-or-treating tradition alive in your neighborhood.
Are you planning to give out treats this year? What will you do to maintain safety protocols? I’d love to hear your creative ideas. Please post a photo!
*Check your city, state, and county guidelines to see if trick-or-treating is allowed where you live.
**As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
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Here’s your round-the-clock plan:
Nothing says ‘Halloween’ like a jack-o-lantern. Start the day off with some pumpkin carving fun! Here are some ideas to make decorating pumpkins with your kids easy.
Hide clues leading to different household items that make up the costume and props for a common Halloween creature.
Then send your kids on a treasure hunt to find them, and guess what character they’ve been transformed into!
Make up your own clues, or download our Wizards & Witches Costume Quest Treasure Hunt here.
Create something together that will make people ooh and aah. A cake that looks like a pumpkin is easy to make and fun to eat.
Feeling lonely on this special day which is usually filled with social activities? Plan a Zoom call (or Skype, Webex, etc.) with friends, so your child can stay connected.
Have everyone arrive dressed up, and be sure to grab a screenshot of everyone in their costumes.
Play some fun games like I Spy a Pumpkin, Halloween Mad Libs, or a Super Spooky Scavenger Hunt.
Don’t worry, this form of Doorbell Ditch is more Treat than Trick!
Fill a gift bag with small toys and treats that will make your neighbor smile. As a joke about the great 2020 toilet paper shortage and an homage to the age-old Halloween prank, include a roll of toilet paper* in your goody bag. (It’s way too valuable to throw in trees these days!)
Leave the gift on the doorstep, ring the bell, and run and hide. Give your child a high five, knowing that you have brought someone a bit of happiness on what may be a lonely holiday.
Bring your all-day Halloween celebration to a close with some together time. Tell ghost stories*, start a spooky book*, or introduce a new generation to the classic tale of terror: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow*. (I can hear the hooves of the Headless Horseman through the fog now...)
Whether you do one Halloween activity, or spend the day doing them all, I hope your family is able to make the most of the holiday in this most unusual year.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
]]>Today is It’s My Party Day, a day to celebrate...anything. Read more to learn how you can celebrate...on purpose, for no reason!
There couldn’t be a more perfect day to launch Jen’s Virtual Parties and Playdates, my heartfelt attempt to help parents bring joy and normalcy to their kids’ lives during this chaotic year. Our Zoom parties and other online or at-home activities are a great way to keep people connected, even when they can’t meet face-to-face.
Plus, check the Celebrate. Together. Anywhere Blog for new ideas and free resources each week.
]]>Oct. 11, 2020
Today is It’s My Party Day, a day to celebrate...anything. On purpose, for no reason*.
You don’t need a birthday or a major holiday as an excuse to celebrate today. Just find something good in the world, and invite others to celebrate it, together.
I like that, don’t you?
It’s been a rough year, 2020. Kids are stressed, parents are stressed, and there’s bad news everywhere you look: the virus, the stay-home orders, the catastrophic storms and fires, the politics, the online school…
So, let’s take a day—just one—to seek out something that makes you smile and celebrate it, no matter how small a thing it is.
As soon I discovered It’s My Party Day, I knew exactly what I would celebrate.
There couldn’t be a more perfect day to launch Jen’s Virtual Parties and Playdates, the web site and blog I’ve been working on as a “corona project.”
Jen’s Virtual Parties and Playdates is my heartfelt attempt to help parents bring a little joy and normalcy to their kids’ lives during this chaotic year. They’ve missed out on so much…
I’m Jen! I’m a mom and a marketer, a 14-year volunteer with Boy Scouts of America, and the past Managing Editor of My Kids’ Adventures, an online magazine for parents.
I loved to create exciting, themed birthday parties for my two boys when they were younger. Friends kept asking me how I do it, so I created Birthdays in a Box to share my creative concepts with others.
When the Covid-19 quarantine hit and Zoom meetings became the norm, I knew the Birthday Boxes (and now Playdate Boxes) would be a great way to keep people connected, even when they can’t meet face-to-face.
Here’s what you’ll find on this site:
Looking for fun activities to do with your kids, online or at home? Check the Celebrate. Together. Anywhere Blog for new ideas and free resources each week.
You’ll find:
Subscribe to our newsletter, and receive free online and at-home activities delivered directly to your inbox every week.
You’ve probably attended countless virtual events–between online school, work meetings, and get-togethers with friends and family...
So, what makes Jen’s Virtual Parties and Playdates feel any more fun?
It’s the stuff that creates a party atmosphere, and the plan that pulls it all together, making each person on the call feel included.
When every guest has the same costumes, props, and games–no matter where they are–it feels a little more like they’re celebrating right beside you (and less like an everyday Zoom meeting).
Check out our Have a Blast Party Plan. We’ll keep building our online store to include a catalogue of party and playdate themes to choose from.
I hope this blog and website help your family and friends have fun and celebrate together, even when you’re apart.
Launching Jen’s Virtual Parties is my win for the day—the topic I choose to celebrate for It’s My Party Day.
What are you celebrating? Seriously, I’d love to hear the creative ideas that you & your kids come up with! Please leave a comment.
I'll talk to you soon!
When my son Luigi (not his real name) was about three, he’d throw a fit over the most random things, as three year olds are wont to do. Milk instead of juice? Made him take a nap? You get the picture. Whenever he didn’t get his way he’d cry out, in full tantrum mode, “You did that ON PURPOSE, FOR NO REASON!” Horrors! It's fun to mimic his own words back to him when the situation fits, now that he's 16. (I do it without the tantrum, usually.)
]]>There’s so much to celebrate in October! Halloween is one of my favorite times of year, but that's not the only holiday in October. Every single day of the month there's a special day to enjoy with your family in fun, simple ways.
The Celebrate.Together.Anywhere blog has new activities and resources posted every week--all designed to do either online or as a family unit.
]]>It’s National Go On a Field Trip Month. While the 2020 quarantine has closed most traditional field trip destinations, it has opened up the opportunity to go places we’ve never had access to before—virtually.
Check out some virtual trips your family will love.
Every single day in October, there’s something to celebrate and make fun. Be creative and let me know how you spend your special days.
What’s your favorite? It’s a great day to bake!
Does your car have a name? How did you come up with it? Talk to your kids about how you chose their names, too.
Today’s the day to enjoy life’s simple pleasures and do something fun on the cheap. What’s your favorite free family activity?
Guess what’s for dinner tonight? Debate the merits of your favorite—and your not-so-favorite—taco toppings. Beef, chicken, or fish? Cilantro: yea or nay?
Play some favorite tunes from when you were a kid, and jam out to together. Bonus points if you share your signature dance move (or any dance move from ‘back in the day’).
Bring out your craziest hats and have a fun, silly photo shoot. Celebrate with a tea party and a chapter or two of Through the Looking Glass: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Enjoy the sweet, sticky goodness of this nostalgic sandwich made of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff*.
Time to run around and have some fun. Tag, you’re it!
Enjoy this classic game of strategy that’s been in play since the 5th century.
Get creative! Here’s how to make a Jack-O’-Lantern cake—no special skills required.
Not your birthday? No problem! Today is everybody’s day to have a party. Check out the fun party themes on Jen’s Virtual Parties.
Today’s the day to honor those early-rising, hard-working people who grow the food on our tables. Visit a farmers market or start a garden of your own today, and be sure to thank a farmer.
Expand that big, beautiful brain of yours by using it for something different today. Puzzles, riddles, or games that veer from your normal activities or routine help exercise your brain and use more of its untapped potential.
Who doesn’t love a soft, cuddly stuffed animal*? Enjoy yours all day long, wherever you go. Be sure to post some pictures of Teddy helping you throughout the day.
We’ve all had lots of practice with hand washing in 2020! Try this experiment to see if you’re washing effectively:
Pick a random word from a random page and learn the definition with your kids. Test yourselves throughout the day by asking for a sentence using it.
Gaud-y: adjective Extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as to be tasteless (Oxford Languages). Super tacky = super silly fun! This one calls for photos!
Yum!
Challenge yourselves to get to know someone better today. Ask an acquaintance for three fun facts about him or herself. You may find that you have something in common. (This one’s a great online activity. Be sure to supervise your kids & keep it safe!)
Celebrate the power of ‘knowing the numbers’ by taking a poll. Call or Zoom friends & family, and ask their gender, age, and favorite dessert (cookies, cake, pie, or other). The more people you ask, the better. Plot their responses on some fun graphs and answer the questions: Which gender likes pie best? If you’re inviting 20-30 year olds to a party, what type of dessert should you serve?
Count the buttons on all the clothes in your closet or dresser. Imagine what the world would be like without buttons. Take some time to show gratitude for small commonplace things.
Bonus: Combine Button Day with what you learned yesterday on Statistics Day. Keep track of the number of buttons, type of clothing (shirts, pants, sweaters, etc.), and color of buttons as you count them. Draw some conclusions based on the data.
TODAY’S THE DAY TO GET LOUD, EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T SPEAK A WORD. TURN YOUR CAPS LOCK ON AND LEAVE IT ON ALL DAY—JUST FOR SOME SILLY FUN.
Want some extra silliness? Talk in your caps lock voice with your kids today. Sounds like an episode of Seinfeld to me!
Turn on your best talk show voice and interview friends & family on Zoom. Mix in some jokes and silly stunts, and be sure to record it all on video!
Teach your kids about kindness, generosity, and service to others by doing something that makes a difference in someone else’s life today.
Just for today, enjoy the yummy, greasy goodness of donuts, french fries, onion rings, hamburgers, pizza, or anything deep fried. Might be a good time to talk about doing things in moderation!
Bring out your inner wolf, tilt your head back, and howl away--just for fun!
Let’s show these victims of poor public opinion a little love today! Find some images online if you don’t know a black cat personally. Talk about superstitions and learn about their origins.
Watch your favorite cartoons or anime today. Check YouTube and find some fun animation from when you were young to share with your kids.
Talk to your kids about the power and the dangers of the internet today. Just for fun, go on an internet scavenger hunt.
Wear a bandana* on your head in support of people affected by cancer. How many things can you do with a bandana?
It’s fun to dress up in costumes and pretend you’re someone (or something) else for one night. Trick or treating not happening this year? Check out Jen’s Virtual Halloween Playdate for tons of fun with friends, online.
Enjoy your celebrations together all month long this October.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
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