Staying In Touch Over the Holidays

The holiday season is meant to be a time of joy and thanks, in which we get together with our families and celebrate together. But, if family can’t travel to be with one another, the holiday season can be a lonely time. Thankfully, in this day and age, it does not have to be. You can stay in touch with your loved ones via all manner of technologies, from Skype and FaceTime to Facebook and email.

The name “Skype” is derived from “sky” and “peer.” It’s a free service through which you can instant message, call, or video chat with your loved ones who are far away. All you need is a computer with a microphone (or a smart phone) and a web cam in order to feel like you are in the same room with your loved ones. Skype has only been around for ten years, but in that time, it has changed the way we communicate with our friends and family who are far from us.

FaceTime is similar to Skype in that it is a form of video chatting in real time. You can use FaceTime on any iOS device (if you have a iPhone or iPod) or if you have a Mac with FaceTime. This is a great way to keep in touch with family; you can talk to anyone anywhere in “real time,” which means that there is no delay. As with using Skype, when you use FaceTime, it feels like you are in the room with the person. It is the next best thing to being with someone in person over the holidays.

If you don’t have Skype or FaceTime, you can also keep in touch with your loved ones over Facebook by messaging them, writing on their wall, or posting updates about your life for your friends and family to see and share in. Email is also a great way to stay in touch; instead of sending snail-mail holiday updates, you can send your Christmas and holiday cards over email.

Another great way to keep family posted on your life is to start a blog. Tumblr is a great blogging site with many options for types of posts. You can share anything from website links to video and audio. Post a picture of your Christmas tree or share a video of you opening presents that your loved ones sent you. You can record yourself singing your favorite holiday song and post it to your blog. Blogging is a great way to stay in touch with lots of people using one medium.

So if you’re not going to be able to see your family in person over the holidays, rest assured that there are plenty of ways that you can stay in touch with them this season. Whether you use Skype or FaceTime, you can feel close to them even though they may be far away. And using Facebook or Tumblr, you can keep your far-away friends and family posted on your life.

Enjoy your holiday season, whether your family is near or far. Happy holidays!