Families and friends have adapted their holiday traditions to reach people near and far from the comfort of their own homes. WSHU's Digital Editor, Carrie Frank, recently celebrated Passover Seder with her family via Apple FaceTime. You listen above to hear how the celebration went, and check out these tips for your own upcoming holiday:
1. Plan meals ahead - No pressure to cook. It can be tricky to find what you need at the grocery store, especially if you're looking for traditional ingredients. Carrie says she started thinking about Seder dinner a little over a week in advance. She wanted to make sure she could order carry out versions of traditional foods and items needed for the symbolic Seder plate: "I did try to order the parsley ahead, because who knows what comes through on InstaCart delivery orders." She was able to find no-contact carry out at a local business, which made matzah ball soup, kugel, and more: "I did hard boil my own eggs!"
2. Testing...1...2...3 - Carrie's family used the technology on hand, iPhones and iPads, but she says she wishes she would have done a test run with her mother ahead of time. The good news is, her mother is now comfortable enough with the technology, so she may try to join for a regular family dinner via FaceTime. For larger gatherings, you can also try Zoom, though NPR says be aware of "Zoombombing."
3. Appoint an IT person - If you have a friend or famiy member who loves trying out new apps or finding the funniest backgrounds for their video call, ask if they will volunteer to help troubleshoot before and during your call.
4. Have fun - Once the technology gets ironed out, you can laugh at the audio delays or the face your sibling makes when the video freezes.