In our rapidly evolving society, very few things are as they once were. One thing that feels a lot similar to the past is the Christmas holiday. Sure, it’s more commercialized than ever, but by-in-large many of our holiday traditions stay the same. People make a point to get together and exchange gifts and eat too much; and they tend to do this every year.
For many people it is the only time they will be able to see their families during the whole year. If it isn’t possible, whether it be the increased demands on people’s time with everything going on, or distance to travel, technology has allowed those traditions to carry on, if only over the Internet. Let’s look at some of the technologies we use to do just that.
In business, we all have had to adjust to the new normal of communicating over the Internet more than we had to in the past. Video chat tools have become a great way for families and friends to communicate when they can’t see each other around the holidays. Tools like Zoom, Skype, Facetime, and Facebook Messenger all have one-touch video chat options. Nothing is better than seeing your loved ones' faces, even if it is just on a screen.
Gift giving has never been easier. You don’t have to meet in person to give the people that mean a lot to you a gift. Today, there are digital gift cards that can be sent through email or in a message. Most businesses today understand that people want to give gifts and aren’t always able to meet up so they’ve made it pretty easy to relay a gift over the Internet.
Of course, being able to buy anything you need online is a way of life nowadays. Most people do at least some of their normal shopping online, and around the holidays it can be a great way to avoid the mobs of people out picking up last-minute gifts for people. More often than not, shoppers can get everything they need shipped directly to them (or to others; and often gift wrapped) taking a little bit of stress off in what is always the most stressful time of year.
In many ways social media is exactly the antithesis of what you want around the holidays, but if you look beyond the inherent negativity you find on these outlets, you would see some very special things. Additionally, social media is a great way to invite people to events and successfully coordinate with your loved ones over the holidays. It also is good for a couple really good Christmas-themed videos like this one.
Technology is changing our world in ways that surprise us every day. At First Column IT, we want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
