How do you even do a virtual Thanksgiving with your family?

Virtual T-Day 2020

Virtual T-Day 2020

What even is a “virtual Thanksgiving” anyway? You can’t pass the gravy over Skype, can you?

This week, the dinner table might look like a CNN panel of talking heads, but we’re used to it by now, aren’t we? We’ve had eight months -- check that, more than eight months -- of a deadly pandemic that has changed just about every facet of how we live our lives. Buying groceries. Eating out. Exercising. Dating. Worshipping. Trick-or-treating. We’ve made adjustments, in hopes of saving lives. We’ve pivoted to Zoom and other free videoconferencing platforms that serve as useful alternatives to seeing each other in person.

And it’s frustrating, y’all, especially now that the holidays have arrived. The temperatures cool, but our hearts warm with anticipation for gathering with loved ones even haven’t seen for far too long. This year, even if you live across town, the distance couldn’t feel greater. Anyone outside your quarantine bubble poses enough of a risk to reconsider any invitation, no mater how safe you insist you’ve been.

Some won’t care. They will gather, despite the risk. They want normal. And that’s normal. Everyone has COVID fatigue. We’re over it. But health experts continue to urge the public to play it safe, so many families will extend their season’s greetings through screens, with nagging reminders that we have five minutes left in the conversation. One friend told me in lieu of her family’s traditional Thanksgiving Even game night, they’re doing a Zoom call. People are making the needed adjustments to get through an unprecedented holiday season, grinning and bearing it, even if they can’t share a meal in person.

Some families are less tech-savvy, and that’s OK. Another friend told me any virtual option would fall flat for his family. He said it would easier to make a phone call, if you actually want to reach his family. Anyone averse to technology or someone with less access to high-speed internet will need an alternative to smartphone apps and other video conferencing that have mainstream in 2020.

That inability to see your loved ones’ faces during the holidays, especially during a year that has already tested our mental health in new ways, can take its toll. Rebecca Allen, professor and interim chair of UA’s department of psychology, said access to videoconference will have less of an impact, but it will be challenging for those who lack the familiarity and proficiency with the technology.

“Not being able to get together with loved ones at this time of year can be very isolating and result in sadness and feelings of loss that can lead to depression or anxiety, and that has eventual health problems on your physical health,” Allen said.

For those opting to play it safe because of the pandemic, a virtual Thanksgiving dinner is a necessity. Even if they’re perfectly healthy, they want to play by the rules by not putting extended (and elderly or immunocompromised) family members at risk if they don’t have to.

Health officials like Dr. Mary G. McIntyre, the chief medical officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, told AL.com they’ve broken the news to their families their typical large annual gathering won’t happen this year, but they’ll utilize video conferencing apps to preserve some traditions.

“My husband will do a group prayer,” McIntyre said. “Normally, everybody goes around and says what they’re thankful for and then he does the holiday blessing. So we’ll do that by video. So we can tell everyone what we’re thankful for.”

If you have access to the technology, here are your best options to have a successful virtual Thanksgiving this week, in what will hopefully be the last of its kind for the foreseeable future.

Zoom

The top dog video conferencing, with a cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat and other features. I don’t have to explain Zoom to you by now, not in 2020. It’s saved a lot of time and stress this year and will make the holidays much easier for those of us who can’t share a space with our family members. Learn more.

That said, there are alternatives to Zoom...

FaceTime

If you have an iPhone or Mac, you’re set. This app supports any iOS device with a forward-facing camera and any Mac computer equipped with a FaceTime camera. It can even hold up to 32 callers at once, so you’re in luck if you normally have a large table for holidays. Learn more.

Facebook Messenger

No FaceTime? No problem, if you have a Facebook account. Facebook Messenger supports voice and video calling. The free app powers conversations within Facebook, Instagram, Portal and Oculus. Using Messenger Rooms allows up to 50 people on a call. They recommend larger groups use the desktop app so you can see more people at once. Learn more.

Microsoft Teams

If y’all run a family business, this might be your best bet. A proprietary business communication platform, Teams is primarily used for business meeting video chats. Share your screen to report quarterly numbers as you enjoy another slide of pecan pie. A subscription starts at $5 per month, but there is a free version (and they offer a free trial). Learn more.

Skype

Old faithful. Skype emerged in 2003 and remains one of the world’s premiere video chat apps that roughly 100 million people use per month, as of 2020. With the video chat app, group video calling for up to 50 people is available for free on just about any mobile device, tablet or computer. Learn more.

WhatsApp

Owned by Facebook, this free app allows for free audio and video calls with up to four people, even if they’re in another country. WhatsApp voice and video calls use your phone’s internet connection, instead of your cell plan’s voice minutes. Learn more.

Google Duo

This is is free and works on Android phones, iPhones, tablets, computers and smart displays. It can support 32 people on a call at once. You can even take a photo of your video call and share it automatically with everyone on the call. Learn more.

Your Phone

There’s always the old-fashioned option. Just give your loved ones a call. It’s certainly better than nothing. It wasn’t that long ago when we didn’t have immediate access to technology that let us see each other’s faces at an instant. We don’t all have smartphones, even in 2020, or we just don’t go for the high-tech stuff. And sometimes it’s just good to hear someone’s voice, until you see them again.

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