Skip to main content

5 Great Ways To Connect With Family During Holidays

It's often tough to be away from loved ones during the holidays. Fortunately, there are several ways everyone in your family, wherever they may be, can be included in celebrating the season. Here are a few.

1. Make time to video chat

Plan ahead (maybe even send out an Evite) and schedule a virtual family reunion. Video chatting is easy – and free. Services like Skype, FaceTime and Google Hangouts allow you to talk to more than one person at the same time. Bonus: you can finally turn down the volume on the uncle who shouts during every conversation.

2. Share activities

While everyone may not be able to do the same thing in the same place, you and your family members around the world can still share a holiday experience. For example, everyone could make the same treasured family recipe or create some DIY holiday decorations. Then, share the experience via phone or video chat.

3. Family Facebook

Set up a Facebook page for your extended family for the holidays – and beyond. Posts can include messages or videos from each member of the family (don't forget the dog!) or snapshots from holiday activities.

4. Record a message – or a conversation.

SpareMin is an app that makes it easy to create and share audio recordings. Grab a family member and host your own podcast with a topic like "Family Update" or "2016 Year in Review."

5. Online family photo album

Sites like Shutterfly and Snapfish make it easy to create online albums. Upload some family holiday pics from years past or start fresh with this year's batch and invite relatives to contribute.
What would be great news to share with your family? Buying a new home! Let me help you with that.Jerry's Website


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Home Remodeling? Please Dispose of Waste Properly.

Demolishing your seventies kitchen and upgrading to stainless steel and granite can produce all kinds of happy feelings. It can also produce piles of materials you might not be sure what to do with. Here are a few ways to remove all those building byproducts. 1. Donate If your stuff's in half-decent condition, there's probably a drop-off donation center willing to take it. Habitat for Humanity has  a national network of home improvement stores  stocked by donations. They take everything from light fixtures and appliances to counter tops and windows. 2. Reclaim, reuse, recycle Roll up old carpet and use the  Carpet America Recovery Effort  website to find a company near you that will reclaim, recycle or reuse it. Check with your municipality to find out if they recycle any other types of construction material. The Construction and Demolition Recycling Association  can help you locate local companies that will take materials such as asphalt shingles,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Easy, affordable smart home features that could help you sell your house faster

Fresh paint on the walls, professional staging and an asking price that ends in 999 — when you're selling your home, you'll do whatever you can to help it stand out and sell faster. Because the  National Association of Realtors is predicting modest growth  for the 2017 real estate market, as a seller you want every edge you can get. And on the heels of the popular Consumer Electronics Show in January, perhaps that edge is a smarter home. "Smart home features are designed to make homes more convenient, appealing, secure and energy-efficient — all of which are bonuses when you're trying to sell a house," says Geoff Lewis, president of  RE/MAX, LLC . "Sellers who want to move their homes faster may benefit from adding smart features that make their properties more appealing to tech-minded buyers." According to IHS Markit and CNBC, 80 million smart home devices were delivered worldwide last year. That's a 64 percent increase from 2015. Here are si...
Post a Comment
Read more

Moving with your Pet? Follow these simple tips.

These days, moving to a new home with your pet - whether furry, feathered, or scaled – isn't so uncommon.  Many find themselves looking for pet-friendly lodging on the road to their new homes. Here are a few tips from Kim Salerno from  Tripswithpets.com . Pet-Friendly Rooms Many hotels allow travelers to bring their pets into every room, while others have a certain number of pet designated rooms. Certain pet friendly hotels welcome pets of all breeds and sizes at no additional charge. Others have weight or breed restrictions, and may charge an extra fee when you bring your pet. Be sure to check your hotel's pet policies before you book your room to avoid any unwelcome surprises. Plan Early Pet-friendly rooms can fill up quickly. So, when you're planning your travel route, make sure to check pet friendly lodging availability and book in advance to avoid being turned away. Hiccups along the way are bound to happen, but good planning can help you save mone...
Post a Comment
Read more