Ahhhh, Christmas parties. The chance to blow off steam, have a bubbly with Norman from accounts, and bid farewell to to co-workers until the new year.
But… in the age of a pandemic, will Christmas parties be going ahead this year?
Some may, on a small scale. But with Covid numbers high and social distancing still in full swing, it’s more likely that many companies will considering virtual Xmas events – and thinking about sending gift packs out to their team members instead.
Ideas for virtual Christmas party events
After the past couple of years, we’re all familiar with events held over Zoom or on Microsoft Teams. And while you may roll your eyes at the thought of another, take heart – there is a way to make virtual online events really fun.
Leaving everyone to awkward chats and talking over one another gets old really fast, so it’s a great idea to plan a structure for your party, perhaps with a specific theme and games and activities everyone can participate in. And you’ll want to nominate or hire a host to keep everyone engaged and having fun throughout the event.
Some ideas you might want to think about for a virtual Christmas party event include playing virtual holiday bingo, Never Have I Ever (Christmas-themed, of course), or doing a Christmas trivia game – perhaps with a funny multiple-choice Powerpoint or by using an integration such as Kahoot.
You could also have a holiday magic show or secret Santa, where everyone is allocated a name via a gift exchange generator, and then you open your Secret Santa gifts over Zoom.
So, where do the virtual Christmas gift packs comes in?
We’re glad you asked. This is where planning your party is essential.
You might like to think about a Pino’n’Picasso party, where your guests are sent mini easels, paint and brushes and a bottle of wine – then everyone gets creative over Zoom during the event. If you want to stay with the arts and crafts theme, you could also theme your event around clay-making, where you send your virtual guests a pack with clay and specific tools they can use to fashion a mug, plate or other useful item for their office desk!
You could also consider a virtual cocktail night, or a virtual costume Christmas event could mean sending your staff a gift pack with drinks, snacks and an item of clothing, Santa hat or reindeer horns to help them get into the dress-up spirit.
Or, consider a healthy yoga event where you send out branded yoga mats, sweat bands and healthy treats – all beautifully packaged – and hire a yoga instructor to put everyone through their downward dog paces!
Your virtual party pack will be arriving on the doorstep of your guests’ houses prior to the event, and even if you have lots of items grouped around a theme, you can add whatever else you like to it, including:
- Mini bottles of bubbly or wine
- Sweets, chocolates and snacks
- Holiday activities like games or puzzles
- Gadgets like selfie sticks or light rings
- Gift cards for online subscriptions
- Hangover kits
The opportunities for what you can put in a gift pack are endless!
How to organise it all in time (gulp!)
The first step is to come up with an idea for your virtual Christmas party, then plan your gift packs around that theme.
You might like to come up with a list for a gift pack to send to staff, or talk to promo product experts about what they suggest. They’ll also know what they can source in time for your deadline and work with you on putting a virtual gift pack together that your staff will love.
Merry Christmas!
Thinking about putting a gift pack together for your virtual Christmas event? Talk to us! Our friendly team can source the products, pick and pack it for you, and organise to have it dispatched to every person on your team by a certain deadline.
