10 Ways To Continue The Connection With Family Members And Loved Ones After The Holidays

The holiday season is filled with opportunities to spend time with loved ones - times to laugh together, share a cup of coffee together, talk late into the night, and make memories.

All in all, those times are precious…but short.

So, if you’re like most folks, I’m sure you’re all too familiar with this scene:

You travel to visit family or they travel to visit you (whether it’s an hour drive or a 4 hour flight), and after you’ve thoroughly enjoyed the time you’ve spent together, you say “I wish we could do this more often,” or “why do we wait so long to get together,” even “we really need to do a better job of staying in touch,” or “call me soon.”

Then, what happens?

You get back home, or they leave to go home, and that’s when the kids’ sports schedules kick into overdrive, the projects at work pile up, the weekends that you thought were going to be spent resting soon fill with last minute obligations.

And before you know it, it’s November/December again when you’re getting together with those family members you promised to connect with throughout the year…again saying “why don’t we do this more often,” and “we really need to do a better job of staying in touch.”

The desire is there.

The love is there.

And you certainly don’t intend for so much time to pass between gatherings, texts, or calls, but it just does - for all of us.

So, how can you remedy this?

How can you keep the connection you have with family members and loved ones during the holiday season going all throughout the year?

Thankfully, there are some practical and proven ways to keep gratitude fresh and connection alive, overcoming time, distance, and busy schedules to help each of us fulfill those holiday goodbye sentiments and wishes to stay close with our loved ones throughout the year - and, today we’re sharing 10 tips to help you do just that!

10 Ways To Stay Connected With Family And Loved Ones After The Holidays

Every January, after the new year is in full swing, I get a little sad.
I mean, the decorations are put away, the festivities have ended, the days are cold and sometimes dreary, and all I can think about is the warmth and love that was experienced in full only a few weeks prior.

During these times is often when I miss my family the most, even having just spent time with them.

For years I thought I was alone in feeling this way, but the older I get, the more I hear of others experiencing the same thoughts and feelings.

In fact, some folks experience a very real season of depression after the holidays, much of which is said to stem from increased feelings of loneliness following a time when loved ones are often near.

So, why is it that we allow the connection with family to diminish after the holidays?

Distance can hinder getting together in person, for sure, but this doesn’t mean we can’t stay connected.

Keeping family close often originates in the heart/mind, and there’s some simple, practical ways you can build upon that love for and desire to connect with family in the new year and beyond.

1- Gratitude

Did you know that there are scientists who’ve dedicated their life’s work to studying the effects of gratitude? Personally, I think this is incredibly cool, so learning of their findings is nothing shy of fabulous, if you ask me!

For instance, there are typical, even somewhat expected, findings where studies conclude that being thankful for others and showing gratitude can increase happiness in an individual but listen to the findings of another study that dug a bit deeper into this emotion: “expressing gratitude releases oxytocin, or the “love hormone” which builds a greater connection and bond between people.”

That’s right, as your thoughts center around your loved ones after the holidays, simply thinking of your family members with gratitude in your heart can improve or amplify the connection you have with them.

And personally, I can honestly say I’ve seen these findings lived out in my own life.

Dr. Charles, Lifeboost Coffee’s CEO, is my cousin. And, we live roughly 3 hours away.

This isn’t far compared to some, I know, but having grown up next door to one another, those three hours combined with the busyness of life can seem like a much greater distance.

As many of you can likely relate, when we get together for the holidays, I’m generally in tears during the drive home, reflecting on each precious moment spent together and wishing for many more moments like that.

But, as I write a handful of articles for Lifeboost each month and drink our coffee (or tea or kombucha) daily, I regularly think of Charlie. However, I feel most connected to him, even prompting me to reach out via text or call, when I intentionally reflect on all the ways/reasons I’m thankful for him, his wife, and his boys.

Gratitude is so common that I fear we’ve lost the importance of being intentional with such thoughts.

So, let’s begin this new year with a heart/mind bent towards gratefulness, especially focusing on family members and loved ones, thinking regularly of them in a spirit of gratitude, which will not only warm your heart but also enhance the connection you have with one another.

2- Technological Advantage

For all of the sorrow, grief, anxiety, and sheer exhaustion that many folks experienced during the seemingly endless months that Covid gripped our nation and our world, there are some things that we experienced and learned throughout that time that brought great benefit to our lives.

And, one of those things is the regular use of technology to stay in touch with our loved ones whom we aren’t always able to see in person.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s truly nothing that compares to human touch and face to face interaction, but when distance separates us from our loved ones, technology can provide a real means of connection.

Specifically, facetime, zoom calls, and other visual-based, real-time communication can allow you to essentially ‘be with’ those you can’t…well…be with.

I’ve heard stories of folks using facetime to include family members from afar in their holiday traditions, but this is something we certainly don’t have to reserve for special moments.

Actually, I would argue that any moments you can connect with family members and loved ones are special moments.

So, the next time your thoughts are drawn to those family members you shared fond moments with during the holiday season, plan to video chat, facetime, or ‘zoom call’ them to continue connecting all throughout the year.

3- Texts And Calls

Prior to the days of cell phones and long before the days of texting and video chats, I can recall many a morning walking in the front door of my grandma’s house to find her sitting on the small bench in her entryway, chatting on the corded phone with one of her friends from church.

She thoroughly enjoyed any opportunity to chat for fifteen minutes here and there with these ladies about recipes, life events, and everything in between.

Of course, in those days phone calls weren’t nearly as convenient, the telephone being attached to the base and all.

So, why is it that nowadays, with texting and phone call capabilities seemingly being an extension of our hands, that we take less time to reach out and connect with those we love?

A simple text to say “I’m thinking of you,” or “how’s your week going?” can go a long way to keep you connected to your family and loved ones.

And, of course making time for even a 15-minute phone call, hearing one another’s voice as opposed to simply reading a text, can enhance that connection even further.

Just think, what could one text a week or one phone call a month do to ensure you remain gratefully connected to your loved ones?

You can even, or perhaps it’s best stated that you should, plan or schedule such calls, texts, or emails, removing any “time got away from me,” or “life got too busy” excuses.

4- Written Letters

Handwritten letters are far less common these days with the convenience of texting and email. But, you can’t deny the impact of a letter written by hand.

Handwritten letters sent to loved ones bring a part of you to their doorstep, not just your greetings, inquiries, and sentiments, but your heart and personality seen in the way you cross t’s, dot i’s, slant b’s, and loop l’s.

I read somewhere several years ago that one day we’ll wish we had more things (cards, letters, recipes, notes, etc.) written by our loved ones to look back on, and the older I get the more I see the importance of this.

Some of my most treasured possessions are the few recipe cards I have written in my grandmother’s handwriting.

Just pouring over the instructions to make her casseroles can fill my heart with love and gratitude for her, even though she’s been gone for more than 20 years now.

I guess what I’m saying is this…experts suggest sending handwritten letters to loved ones to foster connection, but I can personally tell you that doing so will not only fill your heart with love and gratitude for the family member to whom you’re writing, but holding onto those handwritten notes for years to come will also provide you with a lasting sense of connection even long after the writer of those notes has passed on, proving the treasure of handwritten letters to be immeasurably valuable.

5- Send Photos

Most people take more than enough photos throughout family gatherings and holiday festivities, and one way to keep the connection alive - that connection you enjoyed while taking those photos - is to text (or print and send) copies of those pics to your loved ones in the months after you’ve all returned to your normal, post-holiday, schedules.

Actually, there are even apps centered around sharing photos with friends, family members, and loved ones, making it easier than ever to continually connect with those you love via sending/sharing photos with one another to keep them updated and involved with what’s going on in your life.

You may not be able to regularly spend time with some family members in person, but sharing photos can sometimes make you feel like you’re right there with one another.

And, don’t just send recent photos.

If you come across any old pics, be sure to share those as well.

When I’m needing a little down time, one thing I love to do is sift through old photos.

Seeing all of my family members and essentially taking a trip down memory lane serves to enhance my connection to them, even if we’re not together. And, that feeling of connection is always amplified when I take the time to text or send a copy of those pictures to my loved ones.

6- Play Online Games

I just came across this suggestion, and I couldn’t love it more.

Honestly, I feel a little odd for having not thought of this sooner, as my son and I play these types of games sitting across from one another in our living room, so I can’t wait to initiate an archery, pool, or word game with my niece now!

There are many multiplayer online games, even those you can play over text with others. So, why not plan to do this with your family members all throughout the year?

This is a light-hearted, fun way to stay connected with loved ones, especially the gamers in your family.

Some options even allow you to chat with others as you play, but for those that don’t, you can still keep your loved ones routinely in your thoughts when you’re regularly having some fun together from afar.

7- Meet In The Middle

Do you live several states away (or farther) from some family members?

Instead of waiting for the next holiday gathering to come around, plan to get together for some much-desired quality time by selecting a halfway point where you can split the distance between family members, meeting ‘in the middle,’ even if only for a quick trip.

For instance, if you typically only gather together around the holidays, missing one another throughout the remainder of the year, make it a point to add another meeting in the summer, this time coming together at a central location, lessening the distance travelled for each party.

8- Keep Them Posted

Using any of the media or means mentioned above, make it a point to keep your family members and loved ones informed of the events happening in your life.

When you knock that project out of the park at work, when your child hits a home run, or heaven forbid, when you receive less than happy news from your doctor, be sure to include family members in these life events.

We can easily think, even with family, “I don’t want to bother them,” or “I’ll update them when we get together later this year,” but connections between loved ones are kept strong when we make it a point to keep one another informed of the events (big and small) in our lives.

9- Watch Shows, Read Books

Any movie buffs in your family? What about avid readers?

Believe it or not, watching a show “together” from afar, or reading the same book as those family members who live many miles away can make you feel a bit closer, even if only for a few moments.

For instance, if a new movie is coming out that you and your sibling (who lives 8 hours away) both want to see, plan to watch the movie at roughly the same time, then text or call one another afterwards.

The same goes for a book you can plan to read at the same time as your father, mother, aunt, or uncle that you’re generally only able to see in person around the holidays.

Sure, this isn’t the same as being together face to face, but as you’re participating in similar activities, your shared interests and even the resulting commentary shared between you can serve to offer a sense of connection, one that you’ll never regret fostering.

10- Host A Reunion

Lastly, you can always keep those holiday connection vibes strong with your loved ones by planning time to get together with the whole family other times throughout the year.

Of course, one way to do this is by hosting a family reunion.

Reunions allow you to gather with not only those family members you’re used to seeing regularly but those you may not get to see very often as well.

Perhaps you can host such an event at your home or property, or you can even plan a family reunion vacation where you all come together to connect during a beach vacation, a mountain getaway, and/or anything in between.

Such events not only allow you to connect and reconnect, but they also afford time to make memories, build and strengthen bonds, and simply enjoy one another’s company more than just a few times a year for birthdays and holidays.

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast.

References:

https://www.reidhealth.org/blog/post-holiday-depression-coping-with-the-winter-blues

https://extension.usu.edu/relationships/faq/the-importance-of-showing-gratitude-to-your-partner

https://earlwoodcenter.com/staying-connected-through-the-holidays-5-tips-for-families-and-residents/

https://www.lifecoach.com/articles/relationships/stay-close-to-long-distance-friends-and-family/#

https://www.familytalkaboutdrinking.com/blog/3-ways-to-preserve-family-connections-over-summer.html

https://www.luvlink.com/blogs/news/45-ways-to-stay-in-touch-with-long-distance-family-members