December 28th is National Call a Friend Day
National Call a Friend Day is celebrated annually on December 28th, serving as a reminder to connect with loved ones through a phone or video call, strengthening bonds and combating loneliness, especially during busy times like the holidays. It’s a day to reach out to old friends, family, or anyone you haven’t connected with in a while, fostering real conversation over digital messages to boost mental well-being and share laughter.
Christmas is over and New Year’s is on its way. Between the stress of the daily grind at work, the needs of your family, and ensuring you have a little time for yourself, our lives can get awfully hectic. National Call a Friend Day reminds us all to take a few minutes, pick up the phone, and call that friend you’ve been meaning to get back in touch with. In modern times, technology has the capacity to unite us more than ever before. The internet isn’t fazed by distance, time zones, or how much money you have in the bank. But in our day to day lives of whizzing from one task to the next (or even multi-tasking on all our projects at once), technology often has the opposite effect. Checking emails, answering texts, responding to
Facebook notifications, and other tech-based tasks can fill up our lives and actually make us feel less connected to the people we’re spending all our time connecting with! With the holiday season rapidly drawing to a close this year, make an effort on December 28th to reach out with a phone call and connect, voice to voice, with a good friend.
Give video calls a try; seeing a familiar face adds a personal touch, making the connection even more special. Go beyond small talk. Ask how they’ve been and share genuine updates, making the call a meaningful experience. A quick check-in or a long, heart-to-heart chat both work to strengthen your bond. This combats digital isolation. Real conversations are more impactful for social bonds and can lift spirits
To start a conversation with someone you haven’t talked to in a while, acknowledge the time gap, use a specific, shared memory or recent event as a hook, ask open-ended questions about their life (job, hobbies, family, recent moves) using a casual, friendly tone, and express a genuine desire to reconnect, suggesting a catch-up if things go well. Ask open-ended questions they can elaborate on (not just yes/no).
Try these openers:
− “Hey! It’s been ages, right? How have you been?”
− “Long time no talk! Was just thinking about [shared memory/event], hope you’re doing
great!”
− “Hi [Name, Mutual Friend] mentioned you were [doing something specific] – how’s that
going?”
− “I was wondering if you still do [hobby/interest]?”
Always be genuine. People appreciate being reached out to more than they expect. If the chat flows, propose getting together soon if it’s doable. Reach out to us anytime by writing to us on our website or calling us at (585) 442-6960.
