Tips to optimize the holiday experience on Facebook and its app family

The holidays are here, and it truly is a time for family. A time to make memories; a time to share them with friends and our loved ones. To make the latter easier and much more fun, Facebook and its family is at our service to make all our special moments share worthy.

Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp introduced new features and offer tips that will infuse the holiday spirit into your pictures and posts on social media.

Let us take a look at some of the new introductions from the social media patriarch this December.

Holiday Masks for Facebook Live

Connect with all your friends to wish them happy holidays by adding some flair to your broadcast with special holiday masks from Facebook. To go Live with special masks, tap on the ‘Go Live’ button on your Timeline or News Feed, and tap on the magic wand in the upper left corner of the screen.

Select the mask you like from the creative tools that pop up on the lower half of your screen and they will automatically appear on your face. This feature is available for all Android and iOS users across the world.

Festive profile pictures

Do not restrict decorations only to your homes, but decorate your profile pictures too. Facebook users can add a temporary profile picture or video that captures the festivities of the holiday season.

Available for Android, iOS, and Facebook Web users around the world.

360 Photos

Facebook’s innovative 360 photos can be used to capture your home and show them to your friends and family on the social network by taking a panoramic picture and uploading it on Facebook.

Your friends can explore the scene moving their phones around and explore your surroundings for an immersive experience. 360 photos too are available for Android, iOS, and Facebook Web users everywhere.

WhatsApp video calls

One of the world’s most popular messaging apps, WhatsApp has consistently cemented its stature with updates and new features. Video calling recently arrived on WhatsApp, in time to help users stay in touch with their loved ones, face-to-face.

Whatsapp Video Calling is available on Windows and Mac systems, and also on Android, iOs, and Windows Phone.

Prioritize your News Feed

Posts from family and friends may sometimes get lost in the post flood that spills over onto Facebook during the holidays, but you can keep up with posts from people and pages you do not wish to miss out on by prioritizing your News Feed.

Visit News Feed Preferences to specify the people, pages, and places you care about to see their posts first, and not only that, you can also select the people who see your post by using Facebook’s Audience Selector Tool.

News Feed Preferences are also available to Android, iOS, and Facebook Web users across the world.

Instant Games on Messenger

If you are travelling this December, crowds will surely be in your way at airports, railway stations or the roads, keep your zen amidst holiday crowds at the airport by tucking into some Instant Games on Messenger.

A wide genre of games from arcade classics like PAC-MAN, Space Invaders, Galaga, Arkanoid, and Track & Field are easily available to users on desktops, Android and iOS phones.

Holiday Instagram

Instagram’s applications are endless for the photographically inclined. Share all your picturesque moments with your followers with Boomerang and Hyperlapse for a wholesome dose of fun.

If you are looking for ideas and inspiration for decorations, baking or holiday fashion, Instagram is the saviour with millions of pictures that will walk you through the process.

Also available are holiday cards and Christmas emojis for Instagram Stories, and you can always have a fun #MannequinChallenge with your family to bring in the festivities!