The 2024 holidays are over, leaving you to recover from overindulging and the chaos of November and December. As you scroll through photos from family gatherings, you reflect on relationships and the past year. For many, the New Year inspires resolutions to fix what’s broken, set new household rules, and embrace positive changes. One impactful rule could be banning smartphones and social media apps like Instagram or TikTok during holidays.
Why? At last year’s events—whether school holiday concerts, light festivals, or family dinners—many attendees were glued to their phones, texting or scrolling instead of engaging with loved ones. This isn’t just teens reluctantly visiting grandparents; adults, too, often prioritized virtual connections over the people physically present, who matter most.
Smartphones and social media have reshaped etiquette across generations. Years ago, answering a phone call at the dinner table or during family time was rude. You wouldn’t pause a conversation to text or scroll through a feed on your device. Today, it’s common to see people in family settings tapping away, chatting about trivial matters online. While smartphones make socializing easier, they can make holiday moments feel “less boring.” But isn’t the essence of holidays to share quiet, even mundane, moments with family, only to cherish their value later?
Creating Meaningful Connections
Families can set boundaries on when it’s okay to use smartphones or apps. For holiday gatherings, consider leaving devices at home or silencing them in the car. It’s not so daunting to disconnect for a few hours to focus on family.
Try a daily device-free hour, banning phones or social media apps like Snapchat after, say, 8 p.m.—akin to when late-night calls were once considered impolite. Collect everyone’s devices in a basket until morning. Do we really need to check notifications every hour to feel connected?
During the holidays, smartphones and wearables dominate gift lists, with tech companies pushing the latest must-have devices. In 2024, U.S. consumers spent over $150 billion on electronics, with kids as young as 10 owning smartphones, despite platforms like Instagram requiring users to be 13+. Kids are so immersed in virtual worlds that they miss real connections with family and friends.
Adults are just as guilty, often ignoring those around them to check notifications. It’s time to limit social media during holidays, meals, or family time. Constant scrolling or texting is rude and disrupts real conversations. Prioritizing virtual interactions during gatherings pulls us away from those who matter most.
Are you ready to set limits on device use during holidays to foster genuine connections with loved ones?
