As with most events this year, the workplace holiday party will likely be a virtual affair. Certainly, your organization could opt to scrap the whole thing and try again next year, but with everything your team has endured since the last round of holidays, it might be nice to come together once again and celebrate the good.  Why not try a virtual holiday party this year?

Like any other holiday party, you’ll want to start by selecting a date and time that works best for everyone. Considering most attendees will be at home at that time, you will want to consider any team members who have children and whether or not the event you are planning is child friendly. If you want to keep it a child-free event, you can book it at a time when most children are in bed or give your staff the option of watching a recording at their leisure after the fact.   

Regarding the actual activities, consider using video conferencing programs (Zoom, Teams, etc.) to host the event. Invite your team to log on for a welcoming message from upper management, addressing the year’s highlights. (Trust us, there were some positives. It wasn’t all terrible.) From there, you can move on to the entertainment.

Virtual Holiday Party Entertainment Ideas

  • Hire a comedian or improv group to make your team laugh  
  • Host a talent show to share the hidden talents of your team  
  • Go head-to-head in a (friendly) trivia night  
  • Host a movie night (hold a poll before the party to decide as a team)  
  • Hold a virtual award show to thank team members for their efforts  
  • Hire a magician for some close-up magic (through a screen)   
  • Host a gingerbread house decorating competition  
  • Play online Bingo games   
  • Throw a Murder Mystery party (find out who killed “Bob from accounting” during the holiday party)  
  • A virtual “Holiday decorating party” or “Tree trimming” where your team can decorate their homes over video call, complete with holiday music  
  • Celebrate a variety of holidays by inviting team members to share their own traditions  
  • Devise a virtual scavenger hunt  
  • Play “Name that tune”- holiday edition, of course  

To take your party or event to the next level, you could arrange to have catering put together for your team. Whether they collect it from a central location or delivered to their homes, this would allow your team to safely share a meal. Alternatively, you could provide them with gift cards for local establishments or allow them to expense take out for their holiday meal. You could also arrange for goody bags, gifts, snacks, holiday cards and anything else you wish to share with the group to be picked up or delivered.   

When it comes to this year’s celebrations, you are only limited by your imagination (and perhaps your budget). There is almost certainly a workaround for any challenge when converting your party from in-person to online.