‘Tis the season to take a step back and celebrate your team with a little fun. But the same ol’ virtual cocktail hour you’ve been doing every Friday afternoon isn’t going to cut it after a year of virtual meetings. The key to a successful virtual holiday party is creating a memorable experience that will engage your team. You want to focus on providing that sense of connection that may be missing with less time in the office.
Here are a few interactive virtual holiday party ideas our team is loving for 2021:
Virtual DIY Events with Branded Swag
While this one will take a little more pre-planning, you can allow employees to include their families. It’s a season where coming together is important. Giving that family feel to your holiday celebration is a special opportunity to create a connection with your team. Try virtual wreath making or candle making, sending a kit with branded items to each employee before the event. This way, they have something to cherish after the event and it’s non-denominational.
Curated Virtual Tasting Events
Let’s be honest, everyone loves food and drink. And in the spirit of the season, coming together over a dining experience is one of the best ways to celebrate. So, why not put together a tasting experience that will allow your team to enjoy a little bit of fun from afar. Allow spouses to join so they can have a little company while tasting with the team! Favorite options include chocolate tastings (you can even provide supplies to make your own truffles), wine and cheese pairings with a gorgeous spread sent right to their door, or a festive alcohol-free hot chocolate and holiday cookie tasting with all the fixings if that’s more your vibe.
Virtual Dueling Piano Event
We all know how much fun it is to spend a night watching two talented artists battle it out on stage, playing your favorite melodies. So, why not set up a virtual show for your team with a holiday song theme? Give your team a front-row seat to the action with multiple camera angles and high-quality professional audio. Even better, send some popcorn and beverages to them to enjoy while they watch.
An Immersive Destination-Centric Experience
Bring your entire team to the Alps! Or at least transport them there virtually. Using creative breakout room structures and a virtual event platform that allows you to customize your virtual experiences you can welcome them with a ride on a ski lift as they’re admitted to the meeting, aka your company chalet for the evening. Then, after a welcome toast from your President with a mini bottle of bubbly you send to them prior to the event, do mini mixers in each breakout room. Do winter games in one, a Swiss chocolate or fondue tasting with supplies sent before the event in another, holiday ornament making in another. You get the gist. Choose any theme you’d like but make it engaging, interactive, and multi-dimensional. Staying in one Zoom room can get a little dull, no matter what you’re doing. Maybe even add branded hats and scarves to the mix for people to wear for the event—it’s chilly in the Alps this time of year after all!
Virtual Casino Night with a Giving Twist
While we all want to gather with our teams, the season is also about giving. By setting up a virtual casino night where every team member is given a set amount to “gamble” with, at the end of the night, all the proceeds can be donated to a local charity of your team’s choice—or allow the team member to dictate which charity their winnings are donated to. A little fun, each breakout can be a different holiday-themed virtual game, and overall a feel-good way to give back.
Planning a Last-Minute Virtual Holiday Party? We Can Help.
How you gather your team this year matters, and it’s never too late to create an experience that will mean something for your employees. While it’s getting down to the wire, you don’t have to plan your virtual holiday party alone! Our creative team can help you brainstorm creative virtual holiday party ideas that will allow you to connect with and wow your team. No Zoom fatigue here, friends! Let’s chat today about how we can help you pull off a holiday party your team will be talking about.
Oh, and P.S. be sure to connect with us on Instagram, it is the holiday season and we may have a few Black Friday deals coming your way!
