It’s been about 1,001 years since we’ve had any contact and spoken to anyone face-to-face other than those we’re currently in lockdown with.
You may have taken part in more virtual pub quizzes than you care to remember and quite frankly, you're not sure if you can take anymore.
Thankfully, with the help of Zoom, Houseparty, FaceTime and Skype - we’ve found the other things you can do with your mates whilst you can’t actually be with them.
From various alcohol tastings to beer pong and even a card game or two like Uno - we’ve made a list of the interactive fun things you can do, invite family and friends into and still make the most of the weekend when you can’t actually be together.
Cheese Tasting:
The Wensleydale Creamery, are launching a series of fun and interactive online cookery tutorials set to make the nation’s at-home meals extra special.
Bringing Yorkshire Wensleydale inspired recipes to cheese-lovers’ homes, the four-part live cookery series will launch on Wednesday 20th May at 4pm, hosted via the Wensleydale Creamery’s Facebook Live.
The nation’s cheese enthusiasts can create mouth-watering recipes from the comfort of their own home in just 20 minutes, joining Creamery Executive Chef, Ollie Bennett, in cooking the recipes while having the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about what makes them so special.
Cook - Along:
As fans continue to wait in anticipation until Nando’s officially reopens its doors, they can still get their PERi-PERi fix as a new star-studded line-up for its 'Bring The Heat Home' Cook-a-long series has just been announced.
Having already teamed up with the likes of Jesse Lingard, Aitch and JGrrey, dance phenomenon Sherrie Silver was the latest to cook up a storm in last night’s show. The next two weeks will see South London soul singer Joy Crookes and rapper-comedian Michael Dapaah (aka Big Shaq) Bring the Heat Home.
Each Thursday the celebs will be put through their paces by Nando’s Head of Food, Tim Molena, as they recreate some delicious PERi-PERi dishes from their kitchens.
Tune in every Thursday from 7pm on Nando’s IGTV.
Gin Tasting:
Johnny Neill, founder of the award-winning premium gin range, Whitley Neill, is hosting a live virtual gin tasting event on May 22nd.
This is an amazing opportunity to participate in an exclusive Zoom call with Johnny, a legend in the area of craft and artisanal spirit creation with eight generations of distilling heritage to his name.
If this sounds like something you want to get involved with, sign up by this Friday, 8th May, by purchasing a £15 miniatures set by Whitley Neill from The Drop Store.
Manchester Gin:
Manchester Gin is attempting to break the World Record for the World’s Biggest Gin Tasting to help raise money for the homeless community, who don’t have the luxury of being able to stay home during these unprecedented times.
Customers can purchase the 'Stay Home' set, priced at £40 for two online. With 20% of all profits going to charity, you too can join in with the World Record attempt virtual gin tasting, which will be streamed via Manchester Gin’s social channels at 8pm on Saturday 30 May, to not only raise a glass and bring gin lovers together when we can’t be physically, but to hopefully also raise a lot of money for charity.
Cocktails and Create with Bombay Gin:
Bombay Sapphire are hosing ‘Cocktails and Create’ - virtual masterclass presented by Bombay Sapphire with award-winning artist Joey Yu and master mixologist Franck Dedieu.
On Friday 22 May at 6:30pm via Zoom.
You will be making delicious cocktails and Joey will also guide you through the process of drawing your own bold, modern window scene, which will be either an interpretation of your current view or a reimagination of a view that is special to you, perhaps one that has inspired creativity in the past.
you can register to join in for free via Eventbrite.
You can purchase a bottle of Bombay Sapphire Gin from Masters of Malt for £19.95 or why not try their latest flavour, Bombay Bramble for £24.95.
Wine Tasting:
As for wine tasting, why not suggest a small group of friends picks up a bottle (or two) on their next shop and together, discover the tastes of the world.
Lidl ’s Master of Wine, Richard Bampfield says: "The best way to learn about wine is to compare two wines side by side: perhaps two red wines made from the same grape variety (or similar) from different countries."
He suggests the Barossa Shiraz, £5.99 alongside the Côtes du Rhône, £4.49.
If you like a white wine, try two dry whites one of which has been aged in oak like Lidl's Coonawarra Chardonnay £5.79 and one which hasn't been like a bottle of Pecorino £5.49.
Love rosé wine? Pick one dry and one slightly sweeter or anything you have at home.
We like the sound of the Pinot Noir Rosé, £5.49 and the Cimarosa Californian Zinfandel Rosé, £4.19
Any excuse to try new wine, ey?
All of these choices are available in stores and online now.
To find your nearest Lidl, use the store locator.
You could even add some cheese and crackers to your wine night - hopefully that will prolong the experience before you need to take yourself to bed at 9pm.
Card Games:
From a game of poker using a simple pack of cards to Uno, Cards Against Humanity, Dobble and more - why not challenge your nearest and dearest to a card game?
The newest game to launch and we can't wait to play with our friends in real life with is Filth.
You can pre-order from Amazon now, priced at £17.59 (RRP £19.99)
Filth is the outrageous party game for disgraceful people. The aim? Invent the most shocking sexploits to make even the most poker-faced players blush - "I was being pleasured by a gigantic lubricated dildo in Grandma's living room" as an example.
Numbered cards make the game super easy to learn and quick to play, simply use them to build a sentence - obscene, funny or absurd - and vote on whose creation is the filthiest.
Beer Pong:
All you need is a long table or pasting table, get yourself some red cups, ping pong balls and ready to play virtually on Zoom.
Sure it's not the same as the real deal but that competitive edge will come out soon enough, trust us.
Lip Sync Battle:
Put your glad-rags on, all the makeup you own and maybe a wig if you have one handy and get ready to lipsync for your life.
Just like they do in Drag Race, every week - pick a music genre and challenge friends to a singing dual.
Hairbrush as a microphone is optional.
Houseparty:
Houseparty is the new face-to-face social media app that seems to have swept the nation's phones as a way of keeping contact during lockdown.
It's a really easy way to spend time with people you care about and you can even play a series of games through it with up to eight people at a time.
You can play Heads Up!, challenge friends to Trivia, Chips and Guac - which is a bit like Cards Against Humanity and Quick Draw, a personal favourite.
It's available for Apple devices, Android, Mac computers and Chrome.
Virtual Dinner Party:
Get your guests to gather around the dinner table or in your dining room virtually as you share recipes to all cook the same night and share your thoughts on the dish virtually.
Think of it as a 'Come Dine With Me' of the new age.
