With the holiday season approaching, it’s time to plan how you’ll celebrate with your team. With more and more organizations shifting to hybrid work or even going fully remote, the traditional in-person office party might be off the table. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a fantastic time together! You can make a virtual holiday party just as memorable and fun as an in-person one. With a little creativity, you’ll host a creative event that your team will be discussing well into the new year.
This guide will cover everything you need to know to plan a successful virtual holiday party, including 35 creative activities to ensure everyone has a blast.
6 Tips for Planning and Hosting Your Virtual Holiday Office Party
Planning a virtual event is a bit different from an in-person gathering, but with the right approach, it can be just as successful and enjoyable. Plus, it’s a great way to build team morale remotely! Here are six easy tips to help you plan and host a virtual holiday party that your team will love:
- Start at the End
First things first: what’s the primary goal of your event? Do you want to create a space where everyone can relax and have fun, or are you looking to incorporate some team-building elements? You may want a mix of both. Once you know your goal, you can easily decide on your party’s format, activities, and overall vibe.
- Pick the Perfect Date and Time
It’s tough to find a time that works for everyone, especially when your team is spread across different time zones. To ensure as many people as possible can attend, consider sending out a quick poll to see what times work best. A well-chosen date and time ensure that your virtual holiday party is convenient and accessible for everyone on the team.
- Choose the Right Platform
The platform you choose for your virtual holiday party is essential. Standard options include Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, but there are also specialized platforms designed specifically for hosting virtual events. Whatever you choose, make sure everyone on your team has access and is comfortable using it. A quick tutorial before the event can go a long way in preventing any tech issues.
- Create a Fun Agenda
Unlike in-person events, where people can naturally mingle and move around, virtual events benefit from a bit more structure. Plan out the sequence of activities in advance, including when to start, what games or activities you’ll do, and any breaks. An agenda keeps things moving smoothly and ensures everyone knows what to expect.
- Share All the Details
Once your plan is in place, send out a calendar invite with all the essential details: the date, time, platform, and an agenda overview. This will help everyone prepare and ensure they have all the information they need to fully enjoy the event.
- Choose the Right Activities
The heart of any virtual holiday party is the activities you choose. Consider your team’s interests and preferences—maybe even send out a survey to get their input. The more tailored your activities are to your team, the more engaged they’ll be during the event. And don’t worry—we’ve got plenty of creative virtual holiday party activities next!
35 Creative Virtual Holiday Party Activities Your Team Will Love
Now, let’s get to the fun part: planning the activities! Here are 35 virtual holiday party ideas that are sure to make your event a hit:
- Holiday-Themed Virtual Happy Hour
Kick off your party with a virtual happy hour. Everyone can bring their favorite holiday drinks and even participate in a cocktail-making contest to see who can whip up the most festive concoction.
- Ugly Sweater Party
Every holiday party is complete with an ugly sweater contest. Encourage everyone to do their most outrageous holiday sweaters and vote on categories like “Most Creative” or “Most Festive.”
- Virtual Holiday Trivia
Test your team’s holiday knowledge with a trivia game. Use platforms like Kahoot to make it interactive and competitive.
- Celebrate All Kinds of Holidays
Make your event inclusive by celebrating a variety of holidays. Ask team members to share traditions, recipes, or stories from the holidays they celebrate.
- Virtual Secret Santa
Organize a virtual Secret Santa gift exchange using an online tool like Elfster. During the party, everyone can open their gifts on camera.
- Festive Talent Show
Let your team members showcase their talents with a holiday-themed virtual talent show. It’s a great way to bond and have some laughs.
- Cook or Bake as a Team
Choose a holiday recipe, share it with the team, and cook or bake together on a video call. It’s a fun, interactive way to spend time together.
- Virtual Holiday Hijinks
Engage your team in holiday-themed challenges, like solving puzzles or creating festive gifts from household items.
- Holiday Costume Party
Encourage everyone to wear holiday-themed costumes and vote on the best ones.
- Virtual Escape Room
Work together to solve puzzles in a holiday-themed virtual escape room. It’s a fun way to promote teamwork.
- Holiday Karaoke on Zoom
Get everyone singing with a virtual holiday karaoke session. It’s sure to bring a lot of laughter to your event.
- Virtual Gingerbread House Building
Send out gingerbread house kits and build them together on a video call. You can even turn it into a competition.
- Holiday Buzzwords
Create a list of holiday-themed buzzwords and see how many your team can use during the party.
- Holiday Movie Pictionary
Use a digital whiteboard tool to play Pictionary with scenes or characters from popular holiday movies.
- Decorate Your Home Offices Together
Host a decorating party where everyone spruces up their workspace with holiday decorations.
- Virtual Clue Murder Mystery
Kick off a holiday-themed murder mystery game where your team works together to crack the case.
- Most Likely To
Play a game of “Most Likely To” with holiday-themed prompts, and have your team vote on who fits each description.
- Virtual Holiday Bingo
Create holiday-themed bingo cards and play throughout the event, with small prizes for the winners.
- Holiday Meme Exchange
Ask your team to create or find their favorite holiday-themed memes and share them during the party.
- Celebrate Holidays from Around the World
Explore different cultures by having team members research and present on holidays celebrated in other countries.
- Virtual Time Capsule
Ask each team member to contribute something representing 2024 and create a virtual time capsule.
- Virtual Holiday Buzzword Bingo
Combine buzzwords and bingo into one activity for double the fun.
- Elf’s Virtual Merry Mingler
Host a series of social activities inspired by Santa’s North Pole village, with plenty of opportunities for mingling.
- Bring in a Special Guest
Surprise your team with a special guest appearance, like a virtual visit from Santa Claus.
- Holiday Carol Sing-Along
Organize a sing-along session where your team sings classic holiday carols together.
- Virtual Holiday Playlist
Create a collaborative holiday playlist by asking team members to contribute their favorite songs.
- Do a Virtual Card Exchange
Encourage your team to create and exchange digital holiday cards.
- Virtual Beach Staycation
Escape the cold with a virtual beach-themed holiday party with tropical attire and fruity drinks.
- Holiday Meme Contest
Host a contest where team members create holiday-themed memes and vote on the funniest ones.
- Virtual Gingerbread House Decorating
Send out kits and decorate gingerbread houses together, voting on the best designs.
- Name That Holiday Tune
Play clips of holiday songs and have your team guess the title.
- Virtual Holiday Pet Parade
Host a virtual pet parade with festive outfits if your team has pets.
- Virtual Ornament Crafting
Host a crafting session where your team makes their holiday ornaments.
- Winter Wonderland Themed Party
Create a winter wonderland theme for your party, with snowy backgrounds and winter games.
- Virtual Polar Express Experience
Host a virtual movie night featuring “The Polar Express” with hot chocolate kits sent to your team.
Conclusion
Planning a virtual holiday party may seem different from organizing an in-person event, but it can be just as fun and memorable. With the right approach, you can create a celebration that not only brings your team closer but also helps prevent employee burnout by giving everyone a much-needed break. Follow these simple tips, and you’ll be on your way to hosting a virtual holiday party that’s packed with fun.
Whether you’re searching for virtual holiday party ideas, creative virtual holiday party activities, or even just a virtual Christmas party idea, you’ll find something for everyone to enjoy.
