Holiday traditions have now become much more technology focused. Playing video games and binge watching shows on Netflix are replacing board games and Christmas specials on TV. Browsing online stores on Black Friday and at other times is replacing walking around the mall looking for good deals. 

Certainly, technological innovation can improve our holiday experience. A family group chat on a messaging platform like WhatsApp makes it easier to organise and plan for the holidays. This is especially useful when family and friends intend to travel abroad. What’s more, those who can’t make it home for the holidays can be there digitally via video conferencing.

But does this make spending time with family and friends more memorable? It could. If we set the right balance between technology and spending time with family during the holidays we may get more engagement than we had before. Playing multiplayer video games, for example, is a fun way to incorporate technology into family activities. 

From a business perspective, brands that want to capitalize on holiday celebrations should think about developing a social media strategy that connects with their customers by creating a more interactive experience. Customers who have strong brand loyalty will want to tag them in their posts on social media. 

Thankfully, technology has not killed our holiday spirit. The spirit has merely evolved with the times. So go ahead and snap that delicious dinner, share your family photos with friends near and far and record those precious Instagram stories with the ones you love so you can enjoy them for many years.