It is the final week of 2025, and if you are like most Americans, your home is likely glowing—not just with Christmas lights, but with the blue glare of smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles.
While 2025 has brought us incredible technological leaps, it has also brought a record high in “digital fatigue.” New data shows that 80% of US smartphone users now feel a desperate need to set boundaries with their devices, yet many struggle to do so without causing a family argument or feeling “disconnected” from the world.
At unpluggedroutine.com, we believe that “togetherness” shouldn’t be interrupted by a notification chime. This festive season, it’s time to move from being “connected” to being truly present. Here is your 2025 roadmap for balancing tech and togetherness and reclaiming your family’s holiday joy.
The 2025 “Presence Crisis”: Why We Need to Unplug Now
Recent studies from late 2025 highlight a startling trend: nearly 54% of people on holiday feel irritated by their companion’s incessant phone use. We are often physically in the same room but mentally miles apart in different digital worlds. This “phubbing” (phone snubbing) can lead to feelings of resentment and isolation during a time meant for bonding.
When we prioritize tech and togetherness, we aren’t saying technology is “bad.” We are simply acknowledging that it is a tool—one that should be set aside when the most important people in our lives are standing right in front of us. Choosing to unplug is a gift to your nervous system. It lowers cortisol, improves sleep by reducing blue light exposure, and creates the “mental space” required for the deep laughter and spontaneous memories that define the holidays.
7 Powerful Ways to Unplug With Your Family
1. The “Digital Valet” (A 2025 Upgrade)
We’ve all heard of the phone basket, but in 2025, we’re leveling up. Designate a “Digital Valet” station near the entryway. Provide high-speed chargers so everyone’s device is “recharging” while the humans are, too.
Make it a household rule: once you enter the “Festive Zone” (the living or dining room), your phone stays with the valet. This physical separation is the most effective way to break the “phantom vibration” habit where we reach for our pockets every few minutes.
2. Host a “Nostalgia Night” with Analog Media
Technology often replaces shared experiences with individual ones. Break that cycle by hosting a night dedicated to “the old ways.” Dust off the 35mm film slides, pull out the physical photo albums, or watch old home movies on a projector.
This encourages collective storytelling. Instead of scrolling through a digital gallery alone, the whole family sits together, pointing out old hairstyles and sharing stories of relatives who are no longer with us. It’s a powerful way to build a family identity.
3. Replace AI with “Human Intelligence” Games
In an era of AI-driven entertainment, there is a renewed magic in low-tech fun. Board games like Catan, Ticket to Ride, or even a simple deck of cards for Uno or Go Fish require “active” engagement.
These games foster healthy competition and face-to-face eye contact. For younger kids, try “Neighborhood Light Bingo” or a “Nature Scavenger Hunt.” These activities occupy the mind and hands, naturally reducing the craving for a screen.
4. Create a “Family Media Plan” Together
Don’t make unplugging feel like a punishment. Involve the whole family in the decision-making process. Sit down and ask: “When do we want to be 100% present?” Maybe it’s Christmas morning until noon, or every evening during dinner. When kids (and especially teens) help set the boundaries, they are much more likely to respect them. This “collaborative boundary setting” teaches children digital agency and self-regulation.
5. The “No-Tech” Winter Adventure
Take a family walk to look at the neighborhood lights or go for a light hike, but leave the smartphones at home. If you’re worried about emergencies, take one “emergency-only” device kept deep in a backpack.
Experience the crisp winter air through your own senses, not a camera lens. Engaging in “forest bathing” or simply playing in the snow (snowball fights, anyone?) boosts your mood and provides a natural sensory reset that no app can provide.
6. Engaging in “Tactile Traditions”
2025 has seen a massive boom in tactile hobbies like knitting, baking, and complex 1,000-piece puzzles. Our brains crave the “touch” of the real world.
Spend an afternoon baking gingerbread houses from scratch or creating handmade ornaments. These “hands-on” projects require focus and teamwork, leaving behind physical keepsakes to cherish for years. The feeling of dough in your hands or the snap of a puzzle piece is incredibly grounding.
7. Practice the “24-Hour Digital Sabbath”
If you’re feeling bold, try a full 24-hour blackout from sunset on Christmas Eve to sunset on Christmas Day. Use this time to read aloud as a family, sing carols, or simply enjoy the “luxury of boredom.”
The first few hours of “nomophobia” (no-mobile-phone-phobia) will eventually be replaced by a surprising sense of calm and clarity. You’ll find you have hours of “extra” time you didn’t know existed.
Leading by Example: The Parent’s Role
The most important step in achieving tech and togetherness is for parents to lead by example. If children see you constantly checking work emails or scrolling through news feeds, they will view the “unplugged” rules as hypocritical.
Make a point to state your intentions out loud: “I’m putting my phone away now because I want to focus on our game.” This transparency helps children understand that disconnecting is a conscious, positive choice made out of love, not a restrictive rule.
Conclusion: Reclaiming the Heart of the Season
The festive season isn’t defined by the gadgets under the tree, but by the people around it. By intentionally balancing tech and togetherness, you ensure that your family memories are recorded in your heart and mind, not just on a cloud server.
At Unplugged Routine, we know that a screen-free holiday is the ultimate luxury in 2025. It’s time to stop looking down and start looking across—at the faces of those you love. Let this Christmas be the one where you finally “disconnect to reconnect.”