Hosting Virtual Thanksgiving

Friendships By FLIK: Hosting Virtual Thanksgiving

In light of the pandemic, the holidays are bound to look a little different this year. Public health experts are recommending hosting smaller, more intimate Thanksgivings this year. Many officials recommend avoiding unnecessary holiday travel, large gatherings, and instead embracing virtual holidays with loved ones this year.

Spending dedicated time – even virtually – with loved ones can play a significant role in boosting spirits and overall mental health. But the trick is getting all the details right – and FLIK is here to help bring holiday hospitality to your home. All November long, we’re our favorite recipes and family traditions, tips for seamlessly hosting a virtual holiday, and providing ideas on how to celebrate friendships and the things we’re thankful for. We hope you follow along on our blog and on social media, and share your own experience using #FriendshipsByFLIK.

Now, let’s dive into how to host the proper virtual holiday!

Picking the Right Platform

First things first – when you’re hosting a virtual event, you need to decide on a user-friendly technology that will support your party’s needs.

  • Zoom: 2020 is unofficially the year of Zoom. Zoom is free for up to 100 people to connect for 40 minutes of video time. If you’d like more time together,
  • Google Hangouts: Anyone with a Gmail account can use hangouts. Up to 25 people can be in one Hangout in the most basic version.
  • FaceTime:  Does everyone in your party have an iPhone? Use FaceTime! Up to 35 people can use this super intuitive video chat feature at once.
  • Facebook Messenger: Did you know you can video chat in Facebook Messenger too? Great for up to 50 friends at a time, this is another really easy tool to use to connect with friends and family this holiday season.

Whatever platform you use, test it out with a few friends beforehand to work out any log-in glitches.

Connect through Cooking

Thanksgiving is all about the food — planning it, prepping it, eating it, creating the leftovers.

  • One Menu for All: Get creative this year is to choose a menu that everyone can create in their respective homes in advance of your virtual meeting – you’ll all be enjoying the same meal, even if you’re far apart.
  • Share the Memories & Pass on Traditions: Use this time as an opportunity to pass down family traditions. Get the best chefs in your family to finally write down their super-secret stuffing recipe and let you practice making it at home.
  • Get Cooking: Pick one recipe to create as a family start-to-finish. Use part of your video time together to get in the kitchen. Maybe it’s baking a pie from scratch, mixing up a creative cocktail or just preparing ice cream sundaes together, the experience of cooking together is bound to be memorable.

Looking for some recipe inspiration? Check out our entire playlist of holiday recipes here: Holidays By FLIK. 

Make it Fun

Okay, you’re all done catching up and the meal is slowly winding down, now what? Prepare for lulls in the Thanksving party and consider a few games or activities for the group. Coordinate turkey trivia, a scavenger hunt, or enjoy a movie together through Netflix Party. 

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What We Were Talking About in 2019: Potato Nori Soup

What We Were Talking About in 2018: Chicken, Spinach, and Sun-Dried Tomato Cauliflower Risotto

At FLIK Hospitality Group we believe in great food, great service, and great people. Our wellness first approach ensures our food supports healthy and delicious choices, specially curated by our team of culinary experts and registered dietitians. At FLIK, we believe in seasonality in sourcing our ingredients and providing a customized approach to the culinary and hospitality needs of each client. Our dedication to providing quality hospitality service is unparalleled in the industry.

Have feedback or questions for our team? Email us at flikblog@compass-usa.com.

Interested in working with us? Apply today!