The holidays are fast approaching, and it’s time to start compiling a list of virtual holiday party ideas. It’s been a busy year working remotely using Zoom, Google Meet, and Webex, and a lot of virtual burnout. Luckily, it’s time to use these meeting platforms to host a virtual holiday party! Show your appreciation for your employees by throwing a virtual holiday party, and celebrate with your team after a year of hard, sometimes exhausting, virtual work. In this list, you’ll find virtual holiday party ideas and tips to host the best online celebration:
- Start a Tradition
Especially if this is your first year of hosting a virtual holiday party, starting new traditions will be key to the success of your future (virtual or in-person) holiday parties. Building memories helps boost morale and engages everyone on the team. Establish a holiday tradition that you practice with your team to celebrate each other and your achievements. Whether it’s a Christmas ornament swap or a karaoke contest, make it fun and memorable for the whole group for years to come.
Letters by Ellen lives in Edmonds and hosts virtual calligraphy classes, which could be a fun virtual group activity!
- Play Holiday Trivia & Games
This is a fun way to celebrate the seasons during a virtual holiday party. If you have enough people, assign teams of two or more. If not, it’s every person for themself! Same goes with other games too— Virtual Holiday Bingo anyone? Browse through holiday trivia ideas and games here.
- Host a Virtual Holiday “Toast” to Teammates and Employees
Send everyone in the “office” a mini bottle of champagne (or sparkling cider), and ask each of them to bring it to the virtual holiday party. Host a toast to your team and all the achievements you’ve successfully had over the last year. And be sure to toast to the future and how you want it to look for the year ahead. Everyone loves an opportunity to say, “Cheers to Us!”
If you want to take this a step further, send your staff cocktail kits and check out Kelnero’s recipe page for some really fun recipes you can try together.
Jenny’s Cookies Bake Shop at Alderwood Mall has become a nationally known brand. Be sure to visit them if you want to send a sweet snack to your team as well.
- Play Secret Gift Giver
A couple weeks prior to your virtual holiday party, send everyone a note with a name and instructions to purchase a small gift. Cap the amount at what you feel appropriate (between $10-$25) and allow each employee to be sent an anonymous gift. Open them one at a time during your virtual event and at the end, guess who sent what to see how well the office knows each other!
If you’re looking for the perfect, locally crafted gift be sure to check out Edmonds Holiday Market for all of your shop-local needs. Held Saturdays (the next ones are Dec. 11 and 18), the market is open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on 5th Avenue North between City Hall and the Edmonds Historical Museum.
- Close with Intentions for the New Year
Prior to your holiday party, take some time to reflect. Send your employees/team a journal from The Papery in Edmonds and have them reflect upon the following question, “What are three things you want to happen in the next year for the success of your business?” After you’ve all enjoyed your evening together—bonding, laughing and celebrating all the tremendous success this year has brought—share your goals for the New Year. Engage with your employees to get them excited with you. The more you and your employees are on the same page, the more success you will see as you are all working toward the same end goal. This is a great way to wrap up your virtual holiday party with warm hearts and clear goals.
Now, get out there and start planning your virtual holiday party. You and your employees deserve it!
— By Emilie Given and Whitney Popa
Emilie Given is a virtual assistant agency owner in Lynnwood, and Whitney Popa is a writer and communications consultant in Edmonds. They write this column together to share work-from-home ideas. They love where they live and are grateful the virtual world allows them to achieve more work/life harmony. They also co-host a weekly podcast where they share their entrepreneurship journeys while learning about those of others. You can learn more about Emilie here and more about Whitney here.
Real first and last names — as well as city of residence — are required for all commenters.
This is so we can verify your identity before approving your comment.
By commenting here you agree to abide by our Code of Conduct. Please read our code at the bottom of this page before commenting.