Try these holiday-themed video conferencing games with friends and family

People wearing face masks to curb the spread of COVID-19 carry umbrellas while walking past a Christmas tree spray painted on the boarded up overhead door at a fire station, in Burnaby, B.C., on Sunday, December 13, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

TORONTO — With strict lockdown measures in effect in many parts of the country to curb rising cases of COVID-19, some Canadians may find themselves celebrating the holidays alone and apart from loved ones.

But thanks to modern technology, video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and FaceTime can be used to connect with family and friends.

Physical distancing has created a boon for companies like Zoom, which reported in November a 367-per-cent increase in revenue year-over-year.

But after all the hellos and catching up, how else can family and friends spend quality time together online?

CTVNews.ca has rounded up some of the best games and activities conducive to video conferencing to keep you entertained.

Pictionary: This classic game doesn't require an elaborate board game setup – or even your physical presence – to be played. Use an online random word generator to choose what to draw, set a time limit of 15 seconds, and show what you've managed to come up with to the camera when your time is up. The first person to shout out the correct answer wins.

Christmas movie trivia: Test your pop culture knowledge with questions about everyone's favourite Christmas movies. There are many ready-made quizzes available on the internet that can be found with a quick Google search, but part of the fun is coming up with the questions yourself, tailored to your group's most beloved holiday films.

Humdinger/Name that tune: Test your singing skills by humming or whistling your favourite holiday song, and let others take a guess (or criticize your pitch!)

Finish the lyrics: How well do you remember the lyrics to popular Christmas songs? Read a few lyrics to get the player started, and then have them guess what lyrics follow. A topical example: "Someday soon, we all will be together, if…"

Gift-wrapping race: Have some last-minute wrapping to do? Make a game out of it! Grab all the materials you need and try to wrap your present faster than your opponent. Just be sure none of the presents being wrapped are for any of the players watching! For added (and amusing) ambience, try playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" as players compete.

Ugly sweater contest: All dressed up with nowhere to go? Throw on your ugliest holiday sweater and see how yours compares with everyone else's on your conference call.

Virtual games: If you're out of ideas or time to prepare for game night, there are online game applications such as Houseparty with various games that allow you to play with family and friends virtually.