Because of the current economic climate, more consumers plan to stay home this holiday season, according to a new survey conducted by YouGov for Skype.

The survey showed that nearly 60 percent of survey respondents are staying home this holiday rather than traveling to visit friends and families, with only 19 percent of respondents planning to travel domestically.

But that doesn't mean they don't want to reach out to friends and family,

Take my neighbor Francis Fullam. He described how he used Skype Video for the first time to speak with relatives in Seattle for Thanksgiving. Now he plans to make Skype a family tradition.

"With so many people cutting back on traveling this year, technologies like Skype, which lets you make free video and voice phone calls over the internet, is an easy and budget-friendly way to feel close to loved ones when you're unable to meet face-to-face," says Daniel Begun, consumer communications expert for Skype. "Skype is a great gift for you and your friends and family this holiday."