Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to gather and celebrate. But this year’s celebrations may look different for many. Although the food will be plenty, the gatherings may be less as people have plans to make Thanksgiving a more intimate affair. We’ve come up with our best virtual ideas on how you can stay connected to your loved ones this Thanksgiving!

1 \ Designate a host: Assign someone as the host so there is a point person who can manage all the virtual tasks for your special occasion! This way everyone knows who to contact for details.

2 \ Decorate for the occasion: The holidays aren’t the same if you don’t decorate! Be sure to set the table and pull out the turkey-themed napkins. Make it fun and festive to set the mood for the whole family. Here is a link to our Fall Conversations Placemat printable you can download and print for free.

3 \ Send a virtual invitation: There is always something special about receiving an invitation. Make your virtual celebration official with a virtual one. This is a great way to inform your guests of all the details. Paperless Post or Punchbowl are great virtual invitations you can send by email and text.

4 \ Use a virtual platform: If you’re going to host a virtual Thanksgiving you have to have a way to do it virtually. Solutions like FaceTime, Zoom, and Skype will allow you to connect with video.

5 \ Create a Thanksgiving playlist: Send everyone a playlist of your favorite tunes to enjoy together at dinner. That way everyone can feel like they are in the same setting together. Need help on this one? Our November Turtle Tunes are sweet and family friendly.

6 \ Have a virtual contest: Ask everyone participating to pull out those silly turkey hats or wear a funny Thanksgiving-themed item and vote on the silliest one!

7 \ Do a dessert swap: Send each other your favorite Thanksgiving dessert recipe and ingredients so everyone can make and try them together. The more dessert the better!

8 \ Write notes of thanks: Assign each person someone to write a “thankful” note to and read it aloud virtually together. Need help? Use our Gratitude Printable!