KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
THE NEXT 48 HOURS
To stay connected during the first lockdown, we went digital. This lockdown, we’re going postal.
Letters, artwork and presents can all be sent in the post and are guaranteed to lift the spirits; sending a quick greeting cards is more therapeutic all round than a Zoom call. Do an audit of your address book, and look up which of your friends face a dismal Lockdown 2 birthday. Buy stylish stationery before the shops close, stock up on stamps, padded envelopes and tape, and research joyful delivery companies such as The Happy Mail and Don’t Buy Her Flowers for treats that can be sent directly.
Whatsapp groups will still prove a lifeline for many, so use this time to collect your neighbours’ numbers and to set a few ground rules (offers to buy groceries = yes; month-old memes and conspiracy theories = no). This time there’s no excuse not to have Granny online with you, so before the tech shops shut buy her a second-hand laptop, set her up on
Zoom and load up some good books on Audible. Age UK (ageuk.org.uk) has published free guides to helping the elderly navigate the online world, while KOMP (noisolation.com/ global/komp) is a one-button video call device for those who struggle with new technology (£39/month to hire).
THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS
If quiz fatigue set in around week three of the first lockdown, and your group chats get too politically charged to be enjoyable, it’s time to up your Zoom game. Set up a group activity such as baking, or pay for a live masterclass (Bread Ahead teaches lessons for £10 a head; breadahead. com). Watch 2Gether (w2g.tv) allows you to enjoy big sporting events across households via the BT Sport app, while Teleparty (netflixparty. com) does the same for Netflix.
Gaming has long been the preserve of monosyllabic teens, but now beggars can’t be choosers. Snake Rivals (think Nokia’s Snake) can be played free in a group via an app on your phone (supersolid.com/games/ snake-rivals), while bridge and Scrabble are just as engaging online.
For friends you rarely see but who you love, surprise them with a gossipy postcard or bottle of wine in the post, from the likes of Winebuyers (winebuyers.com) or Naked Wines (nakedwines.com). To celebrate birthdays, find a local business to deliver a cake, order matching party decorations and set up a Spotify playlist for a Zoom cocktail hour. For an extra flourish, order them a bespoke video message by their favourite celebrity from Cameo (cameo.com).
If your grandchildren hate video conversations, give them an online tour of your garden or lockdown project on Zoom or Facetime, or keep in touch the foolproof way – by sending money – instead.
And remember, this time around the “one-plus-one” rule means one person can meet one other person from a different household: organise a walk with a friend, take a Thermos of brandy hot chocolate, and enjoy the blessed company of someone else.