Best Apps for Interfaith Family Celebrations during COVID-19

When I was growing up, one of my favorite shows was Little House on the Prairie, and in a way, this show was my inspiration for this bundle. There was an episode in which Nellie and Percival are about to become parents. Percival's parents come out to visit for their grandchild's birth, and Percival had been brought up in the Jewish faith. A whole argument ensues until they come up with a solution on how the child would be raised. They end up having twins, so one is raised Christian, and the other is raised Jewish.

Interfaith households are even more common today, and fortunately, we have our phones and tablets to help make the holiday season special for everyone. You can download apps for your phone or tablet that help you with lighting a virtual menorah or even playing with the dreidel. If you have an Apple device, I highly recommend a new app that talks about the Hannukah story, especially if you have younger children or you're a blended interfaith family celebrating your first holiday season together. For those in the family who celebrate Christmas, it's a good idea to download a Bible app and read through the Christmas story. 

If your household celebrates Ramadan, a great app is MBC Ramadan to help you with your celebration.

Now, everyone knows about celebrations because they include food and a lot of it. But when you have an interfaith household, it might be a bit harder to find the right recipes to keep everything, well, kosher. But that's where apps come in. 

If you're looking for a good all-purpose app with just about any type of recipe that you could want on it, I recommend Food Network Kitchen. However, if you're looking for something with a little more Jewish flair, the BetweenCarpools app is a great choice. It not only has recipes on it but lots of tips and tricks for busy Jewish women.

Finally, maybe you are not particularly religious, or you are simply tired of hearing Christmas carols, seeing movies all about Santa on the television, or you simply want to sit down with a glass of wine before trying to unravel the lights (again.) There are plenty of apps out there that let you make your own music playlist without anything in it about the holidays. Or, you can download one of the many streaming apps to somewhat escape the holiday movies. You won't completely escape them, but you'll have a larger variety from which to choose.

Remember, the holidays are about being together as a family. No matter what you believe, as long as you have that, it will be one to remember. This year, more than ever, family is so important. So, consider downloading Zoom so that you can talk to loved ones you may not be able to visit this year. Stay safe and happy holidays!