The past several months, we have all gotten used to wearing a mask and social distancing. But we haven't dealt with COVID during the holidays yet. Our generation is blessed with having so many virtual options at our disposal, though! While it may be hard to get grandma or grandpa on a zoom call, it can be done and the headache of explaining how to use technology is worth keeping them safe. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or don't celebrate at all, social distancing this time of year will be an adjustment. But we are resilient and can make this adjustment less difficult with the many tools at our disposal.

I'm sure we all enjoy movie nights with our family and friends, but these movie nights are hard to do virtually. Did you know that there is a Chrome extension called Teleparty where you can watch movies and tv shows simultaneously with anyone you share the link with? This is a great option for watching your favorite holiday movies together but also apart. There is also a chat to type in and communicate while you are watching. As far as games go, there are so many options to play on a console, laptop, or phone. One phone game that my family loves to play and is available on Apple and Android is Psych. This game has many different options in which you can type funny answers pertaining to movies, definitions, and even the people you are playing with. After everyone types in their answer, each player chooses their favorite answer. After a certian amount fo rounds, the player with the most points is declared the winner. Another fun game option to consider if you are wanting to go a little bit back in time and tet your knowlege is Trivia Crack. You can play with just about anyone on many different devices and have a friendly competition from a distance.

If you find yourself missing your friends and family at a holiday dinner or doing holiday tasks like baking, using Zoom, Google Duo, FaceTime, or the vido call feature on Snapchat can give you that face-to-face experience without transfering germs. Book lovers can also use these video chatting tools to start a virtual book club! You can each pick a book and buy the ebook or buy it online and have it shipped. Then, you can all have weekly check-ins to talk about what you've read.

Lastly, it is important to not only come up with creative ways to social distance during this time, but to also take care of loved ones and yourself. If you need to seek virtual counseling sessions, there is no shame in doing so. Acknowledging that you need help is a brave task in itself, so make sure to check in with yourself. Journaling can be a great way to get your thoughts down and make sure you really are doing okay. Also check up on loved ones. Sending someone a text asking how they are doing or describing what you love or appreciate about that person can really help make living through a pandemic more bearable.

I know that being apart can be rough, but don't rule out these simple remedies without giving them a try! Don't be afraid to come up with your own creative ways to effectively social distance as well. We may all just be trying to live through a horrible situation, but at least we have the tools to love from a distance while doing so.