Fall is my favorite season. While it tends to coincide with unimaginable academic stress and less sunlight, I find that fall is the perfect time to draw nearer to your loved ones. This year, finding connection and comfort is a little tougher. Whether you’re separated from your loved ones by distance or quarantine, here are some festive ways to connect remotely.
- Send them a Care Package
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If you’re on Twitter during the month of October, you’ll hear about the spooky basket. It’s a popular gift to your SO or even just a friend. You can fill it with practically anything. Candy, DVDs, accessories, or gift cards, or you can even get creative and draw something. My grandma actually sends a Halloween care package every year. This year, she included my favorite candy, purple striped stockings (perfect for a witch costume), and a darling fall-themed pillow. Include things from their favorite scary movie or even a pressed fall flower or leaf. If my S/O would happen to come across this article, this is definitely a hint.
- Start a Book Club
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If you’ve been dating for a while or if this seems up your alley, you could read each other a scary short story or even a chapter of a horror classic each night over FaceTime or Zoom. My boyfriend has been reading me a chapter of Dracula before bed every night. It’s a great way to bond and relax. While it can seem juvenile, a bedtime story is a surefire way to be on someone’s mind just before they drift off (unless the story was too scary. In that case, they may not drift off at all).
- Get in the Kitchen
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While you may be unable to bake with each other in person, doing it via Zoom is still just as fun. My long-distance boyfriend is a chef with impeccable taste, meaning he tries to get me cooking at least once a week (even though I’m quite accident-prone). The next thing on our cooking list is homemade cider or fall drink syrups! After you’re finished cooking, you can share it with your family and friends or even donate it to someone in need. Learning how to cook by taking an online class is also a great way to bond. There’s something so loving and intimate about learning to make a meal to nourish the people closest to you.
- Try Candle Making
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This activity is a little messy and requires some planning. You can do it together over FaceTime or simply mail it to them as a gift. You’ll need wax, wicks, a scent, something that can melt the wax such as a stove or hot plate, a container for your candle to live in, and a heat-safe container to melt the wax. This set from Amazon has pretty much everything you need. I prefer to use old jam jars or thrifted teacups when I make my candles, but you can use anything that is fire safe. When it comes to scents I like to experiment with essential oils and my perfume, but you can also buy scents specifically meant for candle making. Once you have your materials, it’s super simple! Melt the wax and add your desired scent. Position the wick in the center of your candle container, pour the wax, and wait for it to cool. The trickiest part is making sure your candle wick stays centered, but that’s just for aesthetics. A candle is a candle, no matter how janky and handmade it looks. I like to add spices on the top for decor or even put jewelry or crystals inside the candle as special surprises as the wax is burned away. If you want your candle to be a specific color, make sure you buy food coloring or dye. Keep in mind that wax is incredibly difficult to clean once it dries, so add hot water and scrape the wax off as it floats to the surface.
- Paint or Carve a Pumpkin
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Support your local community by going to a farmer’s market or pumpkin patch! Via video calling services, you can carve or paint a pumpkin with your friends, family, or even a Tinder match. Add a theme such as classic horror flicks, modern horrors (think a phone at 1% or seeing that your ex is typing…). Extra points for creativity.
- Cram for Midterms
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If all else fails, don’t be afraid to whip out your textbooks. While studying may not be the sexiest date, it’s a great way to spend time with someone when you feel like you have too much homework to do. Quiz each other or offer bonus rewards like candy for uninterrupted study times. This is a really great date idea if someone close to you really values acts of service.
As the colder weather prompts us to think of the people who warm our hearts (or electronic devices due to the strain of FaceTiming them too often), think of exciting ways to connect!