The new normal is definitely turning out to be not so normal. We have been practicing social distancing for a year now, taking all the safety precautions and being vigilant about maintaining good hygiene. With the hike in covid cases and its new variants, people are taking necessary measures like self-isolation. And while doing all that, it becomes utterly important to maintain our physical health as well as social life and sanity while riding out a global pandemic.
Group gatherings have vanished, but fortunately, we are living in an era of the internet where everything is just a click away. People have discovered a new way of coming together remotely. Remote work, group calls, and digital gatherings are the new normal for most. Casual, impromptu hangs over video chats are going strong but hosting an actual dinner party over a video call is another way you can bring folks together and spend some quality time. People in Vancouver know how to party, and when the restaurants in Vancouver bc are there to collaborate with food deliveries, they know how to work around it and organize a digital event itself.
While you host a digital dinner party with your folks, here are a few things we would like you to know that can help you have a stress-free and fun digital party until you all get to eat dinner together in real life.
Schedule the meet-up
Irrespective of how obvious it may seem, it is still better to plan a specific meeting time to make sure all your guests are on board simultaneously. While you schedule, make sure you pick a time that works perfectly for all time zones, where everyone has finished off their work and other important tasks. Set up a zoom call or HouseParty and make sure people sign in at the same time for late coming is rude, even online.
Send evites (Online Invitations)
Brighten up things a bit by sending out invites with sweet notes to your guests. Include the link to the digital event page, mention the theme and add instructions that you want your guests to follow in your digital party. This is also a good time to decide your guest list, whether you want an intimate family digital meet-up where everyone knows each other or want your other friends to connect with your co-workers or something.
Make a menu
Food is the most common thing to bond over, so why not incorporate food in a digital party as well. Plan out a few recipes that people can make, or you could even dub your dinner party “pizza night” or “pasta night.” People could even order takeout from the same top restaurants in Vancouver and compare the notes on the dishes they had.
Pick a theme
Themes are not mandatory for a dinner party; however, it certainly makes a remote get-together more fun. Some online video calling platforms allow users to upload their own backgrounds; people often get creative with this feature and choose different backgrounds to set up the right mood. You could plan out different themes, from a literary hangout in England’s fancy libraries to a group trip to places like central perk on friends. Take the liberty of being creative but choose a viable idea over a totally ambiguous idea; it allows everyone to participate.
Incorporate drinks
The digital toasts won’t be the same without a closely-knit menu. Pick a cocktail or a drink to tie in with the theme so that everyone can clink their glasses even remotely and give the semblance as if drinking together in the same space.
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Consider activities
Usually, dinner parties would be fun get-together. However, conversations on a group video call naturally break off. These digital hangouts can even be intimidating to shyer guests, and more so, frustrating when everyone starts speaking simultaneously, throwing opinions, and getting noisy. When chatting gets stilted, it becomes important to keep things fun with a few light-hearted conversation topics prepared and few planned games for backup.
Photo by Victor He on Unsplash
Wind up with ease and on time
Knowing when to stop is a key to never overdoing anything. As a host, be proactive in sensing and determining when it is the right time to sign off. Do not be a host who keeps the party going when everyone just wants to break off and continue their regular chores or watch TV. The best way to not lose track of time is by setting a time limit for your digital dinner party and end on a high note.
Thank your guests
At last, thank your guests for joining in, remind them how much you miss them, and value them. Use all that time you would have spent cleaning guests’ dishes by forging deeper friendships and connections. Follow up through text messages the next day to share a compliment about their participation at the digital dinner party.
