How to Throw a Virtual Holiday Party: Ideas for Work Festivities

You don’t want to be the person who becomes part of company lore.

By Kathleen Walder, Monster Contributor

Have you been named CEO (Chief Elf Organizer) responsible for coming up with a list of virtual holiday party ideas for work this year? Planning a holiday event that everyone at the office will enjoy has always been a challenge. If your team is 100% remote, coming up with fun remote holiday party ideas can be even more complicated. Additionally, a Monster poll found that nearly 70% of workers would prefer a cash bonus to a party. And a mere 13% preferred a virtual event.

But don’t despair. There are considerable benefits to continuing the tradition of holiday parties. They reinforce the company culture, promote interaction across departments, and can be used to celebrate diversity.

So let’s make your holiday event jolly and inclusive with new and reimagined ideas for a virtual celebration. Here are some virtual holiday party ideas for work to put some sparkle into your remote get-together

11 Zoomable Virtual Holiday Party Games and Activities

What’s a celebration without party games? Some of these virtual holiday party ideas for work are for small groups, some for large, and a few you can customize for any size group.

1. Picture That

From adorable to embarrassing, have everyone submit a photo for a guessing game to match each picture with its owner. A volunteer puts all images on a slide or PowerPoint presentation. You can also give awards for “the most uncomfortable picture,” “most embarrassing,” “makes me say awwww,” etc.

Examples include:

  • You sitting on Santa’s lap as a child
  • Your pet in a holiday costume
  • The inside of your refrigerator

2. The Theme Is

What would the holidays be without ugly sweaters? For “The Theme Is,” everyone wears an ugly Christmas sweater or holiday-themed hat. One of the best virtual holiday party ideas for international work teams is for each person to wear something unique to their country or culture.

3. Party in a Box

You can make your virtual party seem more like a traditional celebration by sending everyone a party box that includes snacks, a beverage, decorations, and supplies for any of the activities mentioned here.

4. Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are one of the best virtual holiday party games for groups of 12 or fewer. Make a scavenger hunt list of things employees can find around their homes. Include some odd items to make it a challenge. Set a timer (10 minutes is good) and see who comes back with the most things. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Holiday-themed earrings
  • Unopened gift
  • Holiday shopping receipt
  • A blue light bulb
  • Fake snow
  • Handmade ornament
  • Holiday stamp

5. Caroling Karaoke

Split into groups of two or more, depending on the size of your team, for virtual karaoke. Have a list of traditional carols or contemporary holiday songs and slides with the lyrics, just like a real karaoke contest. Groups can choose their songs, or you can draw for spontaneity. Have a sing-off to see who can hit the final high note in Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

6. Virtual Tasting

Set up a virtual tasting with chocolate, wine, whiskey, cheese, or whatever is easy to package and send ahead of time. Conduct the tasting and have everyone comment on their most and least favorite.

7. Virtually a Game

Turn a TV game show into a virtual game. Family Feud, Password, and Jeopardy can be re-configured for Zoom—and the holidays. You can do the same with board games like Pictionary, Scattegories, Scrabble, and Apples to Apples. Award virtual prizes for the winners. For example, “You may log in thirty minutes late next week,” or “Permission to turn off your camera and laugh at a coworker for 30 seconds.”

8. Holiday Wars

You can model some hands-on virtual holiday party activities after Food Network shows. Have everyone try their hand at things like building a gingerbread house, making an origami dreidel, or icing a cookie. Send the supplies ahead, have the competition on the spot, or have everyone work independently and present their creations at the party. One person can play the Grinch judge and one can be the Angel.

9. Off-Balance

Here’s one of the sillier virtual holiday party ideas. Pick an item that everyone has to balance on their nose or head. Some ideas are a marshmallow, book, apple, or quarter. You can do this as a timed activity or continue the party. Whoever is left with the object still balanced is the winner.

10.Holiday Bingo

You can find holiday bingo card templates online or make your own to email everyone. All cards have the same holiday words or symbols, but they’re in a different order on each person’s card. You can play the traditional way or it can also be a game that runs throughout the party to see who pays the most attention. In this version, the caller either flashes the item on their screen or works it into the conversation.

11. Never Have I Virtually Ever

This is just like the traditional game of Never Have I Ever with things you may or may not have done. You can either play it using a list to check off things you’ve done, or start with everyone holding up 5 or 10 fingers and lowering a finger for each “yes.” You can find lists of holiday-themed “nevers” online or make up your own.

Tips for Organizing a Virtual Office Holiday

Responsible for organizing this year’s virtual holiday party at work?. Here are some guidelines to make your celebration a success and avoid coworkers from putting coal in your stocking.

Find the Right Time and Day

Planning your virtual holiday party for early December makes sense. After that, you’ll find employees start to take vacation time. Some companies find it works for them to have a holiday party after the new year and all the traditional celebrations and vacations. Give two weeks' notice of whatever day you choose so employees have time to plan.

With a virtual party, you’re actually having your party at your employees’ homes. It’s considerate to have it during work hours when they already have “office time” reserved. An hour is plenty of time for a celebration unless you have a formal presentation. If so, you might go a little longer, but no more than 90 minutes, or you may start to lose people. It’s also a nice plan to hold the party at the end of the day, so everyone can sign off and “go home.”

Be Inclusive

Be aware that only some people on your team may celebrate the same holidays in December and January. Most companies have dropped the term “Christmas Party” for the more inclusive “Holiday Party” or have pivoted to a New Year’s party.

Ensure everyone is comfortable at your virtual holiday party. Ideas for work-appropriate images to include in invites and party materials are neutral winter things like snowmen rather than nativity scenes. Or you could include images from winter holidays of from many different religions and cultures. You can find a list of holidays from various religions and cultures here.

Adjust Your Holiday Party Plans for Your Group Size

Virtual holiday party ideas for work groups of 10 team members aren’t appropriate for an entire 2,000-person company. If you have a team of just three or four people, consider combining your gathering with another department you work with on projects. Expanding your group will be better for some of the games and activities mentioned earlier. It’s also a great way to get to know others in your organization and build some relationships.

On the other hand, if you need virtual holiday party ideas for workplaces with a couple hundred to a couple thousand employees, you’ve got another set of challenges. If you want to do some activities, you can split people into smaller groups and set up several “party room” meetings. To facilitate mingling, have everyone randomly switch rooms every few minutes.

It’s also acceptable to do a holiday presentation without much employee participation if you’ve got a ballroom-sized crowd. A video of the year’s highlights or messages from department heads is a way to connect everyone. A toast and good wishes for the upcoming year from the CEO or another exec is an excellent way to end the party.

Designate a Host

Your host is the master of ceremonies serving as the timekeeper and facilitator to keep things running smoothly. Having a host frees up managers to mingle and not worry about logistics. They’re also the point person for troubleshooting and questions if the reindeer games go awry.

Let Everyone Know What to Expect

Even though it’s virtual, any holiday party at work needs to be comfortable for everyone. You can put everyone at ease by letting them know what to expect. You may have employees in their first jobs out of school who have never experienced an office party. On the other side, you may have those who remember when a holiday party meant dressing up to go to a fancy dinner with a plus one at a restaurant and party center.

Send invitations that have enough information, so everyone knows what to expect.

Communicate the Agenda and Details

You can put everyone at ease and avoid possible stumbles when your invitations to the holiday party spell out what to expect. Beyond the meeting invitation on everyone’s calendars, send an email to be more specific. This starts with an agenda in the invitation. It will communicate that there’s a program and it’s not a “drop by when you feel like it” event.

An invitation can be as simple as:

Please Join Our Virtual Holiday Party

3:00 – Welcome and Introductions

3:15 – Simultaneous Opening of Party Boxes

You’ll receive your box in the mail—do not open it until the party! If yours doesn’t arrive by xx/xx/xxxx, please let Susan Smith know at susansmith@email.com.

3:20 – Let the Festive Games Begin

3:45 – Awards and Special Presentation

4:00 – Sign Out and Have a Happy Holiday

Please bring your favorite beverage and wear something festive!

Give Guidance on Attire

It’s a party, but it’s virtual, so let everyone know what to wear. Some teams who dress casually during regular work hours may choose to do that for the party. But if you want to make things extra festive, some fun virtual holiday party ideas for work hours include wearing costumes, funny hats, or even pajamas! If your party will be held past 5 p.m., you could choose to make it formal to show off new holiday outfits. Whatever the dress code, make sure you let guests know so everyone feels comfortable.

Let Guests Know When the Party Is Over

To avoid the awkward silence as things wind down or having team members not know when they should sign off, do something that signals the party is over:

  1. Have a final “thank you for coming” from the team lead.
  2. Put up a festive slide with a holiday greeting.
  3. Let everyone know they can close their laptops and enjoy the rest of the day off.

Do’s and Don’ts for Virtual Office Holiday Party Guests

If you’re attending a remote holiday party, you might want a few tips for how to act. You’ve heard the warnings about minding your manners at holiday office parties. Statistics from a survey of 2,000 working Americans show that 26% of employees admit to embarrassing themselves at an office party, 41% say they know coworkers who’ve hooked up during the party, and 18% say they were too embarrassed to go to work the next day. While you can fib about your internet being out, don’t go there.

While a virtual office party hook-up is logistically unlikely, other situations apply, along with unique etiquette for remote celebrations. Here’s how to act classy at your virtual office holiday party.

Limit Your Alcohol Intake

You’re not driving, but that isn’t an invitation to drink in excess. If adult beverages are on the agenda, limit yourself to one. You don’t want to say (or type) anything inappropriate. Remember, chat messages can live forever and often can be seen by management, even private one-on-one chats. You also don’t want your teammates to watch you sleeping or passed out during the party.

Prepare Some Small Talk

There’s a good chance there will be some open discussion or free chat room time during the event. Be prepared with responses to “What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?” or “Are you traveling during the holidays?” You can also prepare your own virtual holiday party ideas for work-appropriate small talk in your pocket to stir some conversation in case you find yourself in a group with minimal interaction or are looking to network with people from another team.

Say Your Goodbyes

Instead of just disappearing, be sure to say goodbye and wish a happy holiday to the group. It’s polite, and people won’t think you’ve lost your connection. A simple “This was fun. I’ll see you all next week” in chat or a simple wave goodbye on video shows you’re over and out. You could also put up a colorful slide with a goodbye and good wishes in place of your picture.

Thank the Organizers

Even small parties, virtual or in person, take a good amount of planning. The person who organized your get-together, the group who came up with virtual holiday party ideas for your work, and the manager who made it possible will appreciate a thank you before you sign off or a thank-you email the next day to show your appreciation.

Give Yourself a Monster of a Holiday Gift

Create your free Monster profile to keep your job search active during the holidays. A recruiter or hiring manager scanning Monster resumes for qualified candidates may spot yours. And even though you may clock out after thinking up all those virtual holiday party ideas for work, Monster doesn’t take a holiday break. We’ll continue to send career advice and new job postings to your inbox throughout the holidays so you can be one of the first to apply to any job.