The traditional office Christmas party is an event that many of us look forward to, but, sadly, it’s not something that’s on the cards for most of us this year due to the pandemic. Thankfully, there are still many ways you and your team can get into the Christmas spirit remotely.
For inspiration, here are our top ideas for virtual festivities:
Try remote Secret Santa
What would Christmas be without Secret Santa? This Christmas classic is great for bringing people together with thoughtful and fun gifts.
Instead of picking names out of a Christmas hat, you can use a Secret Santa generator like Draw Names, which allows participants to add wish lists for inspiration. All that’s left is to send your gift to your recipient, so make sure you all exchange addresses.
Organise a Christmas quiz or virtual game
A Christmas quiz can be a great way to get everyone involved in some festive fun. Why not ask everyone to prepare a different category or enlist the help of a professional like The Events Company and run a hosted quiz night?
Or if quizzes aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other team games available virtually. Try an escape room from Greenhat People or arrange a unique and memorable Murder Mystery party with the Digital Murder Mystery Co.
Give back this Christmas
2020 has been a tough year for many people, and the charities that support them, and a charity fundraiser could be a positive way to end the year.
Simply get your team to nominate a charity and work out a fun way to raise funds. For example, you could run a virtual quiz night, a raffle, or Christmas jumper day for your chosen charity.
Arrange a Christmas feast
This year we all deserve to indulge in some festive feasting, so why not arrange a virtual dining experience for your team?
This is a pricier option depending on the size of your team, but with companies like One Fine Dine, it needn’t be a complicated experience. You can have a three-course meal simultaneously delivered to your homes so that you can enjoy a Christmas meal together.
Throw a virtual office party
It might not be the real thing, but it comes close: companies such as Hire Space have successfully pivoted to providing virtual office parties, complete with smoking areas and toilets to recreate the full experience. These are perfect for large companies and allow you to mix with your colleagues from across departments. Some providers, such as Evolve Events, even offer experiences that include food delivery and performances.
Soak up some culture
If your team are culture vultures or looking for something new, you could try streaming a live performance together.
You can take in a classic by live-streaming The Old Vic’s A Christmas Carol, or check out the Donmar Warehouse Festive Concert, which includes everything from musical numbers to sketches and poetry and will be free to view on YouTube.
So, what are you waiting for? Get your team together and get festive! Even if you don’t really celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense, this is a great opportunity to connect with each other, which is incredibly valuable during these times of remote working. And get your team involved in the planning too – they may have some great ideas up their sleeves!
