Blog Archive

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11 games and fun activities for a virtual Thanksgiving

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warning of the risks of Thanksgiving travel, many families are opting for a virtual Thanksgiving this year. Zoom, the go-to videoconferencing system for many during the pandemic, has even announced it’s waiving its usual 40-minute meeting limit on free accounts during the holiday so families can stay connected.

And while you may not be able to pass the turkey and stuffing through your webcam, there are still some ways you can make the holiday feel fun, special, and less like a carb-laden conference call. Here are a few ideas for games and other activities

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Travel
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  • November 24, 2020
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Santa goes virtual at new Sugar Land ‘Magi-sphere’ exhibit

Santa Claus is going virtual amid the pandemic.

Flight School Studio, a Dallas-based Academy Award and Emmy nominated creative team, is bringing a new interactive experience to Sugar Land Town Square from Nov. 27 to Dec. 24.

The innovative holiday installation features a three-dimensional St. Nicholas inside a large snow globe. Guests can share their holiday wishes while social distancing at the town square.

TURKEY DAY: What’s Houston’s weather going to be like on Thanksgiving?

Guests can share their holiday wishes while social distancing at Sugar Land Town Square.

Guests can share their holiday wishes while social distancing at Sugar Land Town Square.

Courtesy

“This is truly a unique and remarkable way to interact with Santa, and I know families will remember it for years to come,” chief creative officer of Flight School Studio Brandon Oldenburg said in the release. “The use of emerging technology allows us to make storytelling and experiences much more extraordinary. This is especially impactful when re-inventing such a longstanding

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Adventure
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  • November 24, 2020
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How virtual events offer benefits over physical



a man looking at the camera: Data generated by virtual events can be easily analysed to uncover crucial insights

© Provided by The Financial Express
Data generated by virtual events can be easily analysed to uncover crucial insights

By Nikhil Joshi

The Covid-19 pandemic has upended the traditional ways of functioning. It has caused significant disruptions across various industries, leading companies to adopt alternative methods to stay afloat. One such industry that has been severely impacted is the events industry. The physical events, which generated major revenue for B2B companies, have taken a back seat now in light of the social distancing norms and health protocols to be followed mandatorily. With the physical events becoming a distant possibility, the virtual events have taken over.

Virtual events provide an online platform that connects all players in an online environment entirely breaking up the constraints of physical environments. They become valuable tools especially when companies have delegations in different geographical areas, or when the event has a large number of attendees

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Hotel
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  • November 21, 2020
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These Virtual Santa Visits Let Your Kids Visit the North Pole from Home

From The Pioneer Woman

Although some of your favorite Christmas traditions might change this year in order to keep your family safe and healthy, there are still plenty of annual activities that you can still do: Decorating the Christmas tree, watching holiday movie marathons, and baking up batches of delicious cookies are just a few of them.

But what about your kids’ annual visit to Santa to tell him about how good they’ve been this year? You might have to postpone your mall trip or visit to Santa’s village in light of the pandemic. Here’s some good news: Their visit with Father Christmas can still go on! With the help of a little bit of Christmas magic (aka technology), you can bring Old St. Nick right to your home for a personal chat with your little ones. Don’t forget to mentally take note of the Christmas toys they tell him

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Vacation
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  • November 20, 2020
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More area schools move to virtual instruction | News

Three more Indiana County school districts are dialing back their in-person classroom teaching to full-time at-home online education, and another is poised to join the growing number of districts retreating from gathering classes during a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Indiana Area, Purchase Line and Homer-Center school districts decided Thursday to move all classes online through Dec. 4.

IASD Superintendent Michael Vuckovich told parents Thursday afternoon that classroom education will go on hiatus for two weeks following classes today. The switch to virtual learning takes effect Monday and will extend through the week after Thanksgiving break.

As they did during the spring school lockdown, the schools would serve pick-up lunches for all students while the buildings are closed

Plans call for students at all four elementary schools to return in person and for secondary students to revert to their part-time classroom learning on Dec. 7.

Indiana Area School District’s senior high,

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Vacation
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  • November 20, 2020
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Fashions for Evergreens, a Hotel Roanoke holiday must-see, goes virtual for 2020

ROANOKE, Va. – A Christmastime favorite in the Star City is going virtual this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fashions for Evergreens is an annual event that typically decks the halls of the Hotel Roanoke with uniquely-decorated trees.

This year, there will be 12 trees representing different businesses and organizations that you’ll vote for online with just a $1 donation to the United Way of Roanoke Valley.

The nonprofit relies on that money raised to help people struggling to make ends meet.

“Fashions for Evergreens has brought in more than $60,000 to this community to help benefit our neighbors who are in need. $11,000 of that was just from last year alone so we really need to keep this momentum because we hear from our 40 community partners that they need us now more than ever,” said Connie Stevens, vice president of communications for United Way of Roanoke Valley.

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Hotel
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  • November 19, 2020
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Latrobe’s Holly Jolly festivities include contest, crafts, shopping, virtual Santa visit

This year’s Holly Jolly holiday festivities in Latrobe will include a virtual visit with Santa and four days of extended downtown shopping promotions.

As with the town’s Great American Banana Split Celebration in August, Holly Jolly entertainment this year will be streamed onlineto keep people safe through social distancing, while getting into the holiday spirit.

Instead of a single Saturday, participating downtown merchants will welcome visitors for Holly Jolly shopping Dec. 2-5. The event will kick off with a town-wide open house from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 2.

“We’ve stretched the event for four days to get away from people crowding into the stores,” said Chairperson Emily Pasqualino.

Local artists will have creative works for sale at the Latrobe Art Center, 819 Ligonier St. Across the street, at the

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Recreation
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  • November 18, 2020
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Red Shops virtual Christmas market: How to sign up

Want to shop small and support independent businesses this Christmas? Then register to shop at Red‘s first virtual Christmas shopping weekend, running from 4 – 6 December.

Explore an exclusive virtual marketplace to help connect independent brands with new customers and make shopping small this Christmas even easier. You’ll be able to shop for one-off gifts, handcrafted decorations and homeware, bespoke fashion and beauty buys and foodie treats direct from hundreds of independent British businesses. Each small business will be offering an exclusive discount just for Red readers, for a limited time only.

Red will also host five exclusive (and free) festive virtual masterclasses via its Instagram account. Learn how to create a Christmas grazing board with Grape & Fig, shake-up the ultimate Christmas cocktail with a top hotel’s bartenders and craft a beautiful Christmas mantelpiece display with Melanie Lissack Interiors. The magazine’s sustainability columnist will also be on

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Hotel
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  • November 18, 2020
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5 tips for hosting a virtual holiday party

With rising case numbers all over the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has guaranteed that Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas will look different this year.For most of us — at least those of us who plan to follow government guidelines — that means it may be time to host a holiday celebration that unfolds in the same virtual environment as work and school.Zoom has suspended the usual 40-minute limit for all meetings globally from midnight Eastern time Nov. 26 to 6 a.m. Eastern time Nov. 27. What should you consider as you plan a holiday over this medium? And how can you make this newfangled spin on family traditions memorable? Here are five ways to shine.Make it a productionBy this point in the pandemic — eight months and counting — adults, children and maybe even the family pet have logged hundreds of hours on Zoom. As such, it’s important to think … Read More

Vacation
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  • November 18, 2020
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Online party tips: how to host a virtual celebration during the holiday season

Zoom has suspended the usual 40-minute limit for all meetings globally from midnight Eastern time November 26 to 6 a.m. Eastern time November 27. What should you consider as you plan a holiday over this medium? And how can you make this newfangled spin on family traditions memorable? Here are five ways to shine.

By this point in the pandemic — eight months and counting — adults, children and maybe even the family pet have logged hundreds of hours on Zoom. As such, it’s important to think of a virtual holiday as an opportunity to do something out of the ordinary.

Yes, this might mean an impromptu poetry reading. It also could mean a “Blair Witch Project”-style video investigation of the smell coming from behind the garage fridge.

3 ways to improve communication while wearing a mask, from a top speech coach

Paula Rizzo, a media trainer and author in New York City, suggested holiday hosts look at the virtual event as an opportunity

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Vacation
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  • November 18, 2020