Here’s a great tip for your holiday meal: how about completely disconnecting? Or at least giving it a try during your meal.
Here’s how it works. Before the big meal, pass around a box or a basket and ask everyone to put their phones or other electronic devices in the basket. If you’re counting on smartphone photos to record the day, designate one person to keep their phone and take the photos.
(That’s actually a great idea for photos anyway. Since digital photos are easily shared, why not save the trouble of everyone passing around their phone to grab a shot. Let one person take the photo and everyone can share.)
But back to going offline. Phones and electronic devices stay in the basket until after everyone’s enjoyed their dessert. Let’s take a crack at living the day as opposed to Instagramming it. Talk to the people in front of you instead of texting folks far away. Anyone who goes for an electronic device before the meal is over can consider themselves a volunteer for dishwashing duty.
If you really want to get hardline about it, you could either turn off the WiFi or change the password and give the new one out after dinner.