Gift Yourself: 4 Ideas
for a Joyous Staycation
Staying solo for the holidays? Here’s how to make the most of your free time.
The holidays this year will be—to put it mildly—less than traditional. With ongoing lockdowns and travel being discouraged, many will be spending the season away from family and friends. But even if you’re celebrating remotely this season, the holiday can still feel meaningful and joyous. Here are a few staycation ideas for finding balance, getting creative and connecting with the ones you care about most—plus a few gifts that can help bring it all together.
Get cultured and creative
You don’t have to live in a world-famous city to experience its art, and many museums are now more accessible (and amazing) than ever. Cultural institutions like Barcelona's Museu Picasso, Seoul’s National Museum of Contemporary and Modern Art and Paris's Musee d’Orsay offer immersive virtual tours of their halls and virtual art exhibits*.
If gallery hopping leaves you itching to try some creations of your own, the PENUP community of artists, doodlers and sketchers creating masterpieces on Galaxy devices is for you. Grab your S Pen and participate in challenges and group discussions, or browse the galleries for more inspiration.
Start a mindfulness practice
Physical isolation from loved ones during the holidays can make an already stressful time of year even more emotionally taxing. Carving out time to work on your mental and physical wellbeing will help ease tension and boost your mood.
Guided meditations can be as simple or as involved as you need, and can work into any part of your day. Listening with the Active Noise Cancellation on Galaxy Buds Live1 reduces background noise letting you focus on your practice.
Want to see how your efforts are paying off? Galaxy Watch3 can feed live fitness info to your Samsung Health app, so you can stay on top of how your wellness levels are improving.
Host a virtual dinner party
No holiday is complete without a feast. And while there’s no shame in ordering your festive dinner, seize the low-stakes opportunity to try your hand at making some one-pot holiday classics. If you end up with extra, no worries—leftovers are the original gift that keeps on giving.
Of course, social distancing doesn’t mean you can’t be social. Scene Optimizer on the Galaxy S20 5G will recognize your savoury plates and delicious desserts as food, then adjust camera settings to make their colours pop on social media. Even if you’re not surrounded by family, you can still dine with loved ones. Invite your friends to a virtual call on Google Duo2 or other conferencing app—just be sure to mute while eating.
Rethink crafts and decorations
Decorating the dining table for the holidays is a pastime for many families, but this year’s lack of a shared physical table necessitates a clever rethink of traditions. Rather than creating festive arrangements for your table, tailor them for display on the wall or shelf behind you during webcam visits. Garlands for the fireplace mantle or a bouquet of autumnal flora will not only brighten up virtual visits, they’ll keep you in the holiday spirit on cozy nights in.
Even if you can’t show off your decorating prowess to in-person guests, these days, we’re all each other's virtual guests. Snap a pic of your creation, explain the process by writing right on the image with your S Pen and post to social to see what everyone else thinks. Or use your handcrafted decorations as the backgrounds of digital thank-you notes to people who have shown up for you this year.
*Service availability may vary by region.
Image on tablet simulated for illustration purposes. Actual UI may be different.
1Feature can be configured in the Galaxy Wearable app.
2Google Duo is a trademark of Google LLC. Availability and actual quality may vary depending on network conditions, country and carrier.
Give thanks, give gifts and gift yourself
This holiday season is going to be unlike any other, but the act of giving—or treating yourself—always feels good. Check out our picks for staycation essentials.
Galaxy Note20 5G | 20 Ultra 5G
Galaxy Tab S7 | S7+
Galaxy Buds Live
