Christmas Party Time
As the end of the year approaches, work Christmas party plans appear to be in full swing. We all look forward to celebrating the end of the year and taking the opportunity to relax with our co-workers. With things still a little uncertain thanks to COVID and the new Omicron strain, a lot of businesses are opting to celebrate Christmas with their teams virtually.
If an in-person Christmas party is a no-go, you can still spread the holiday cheer and unwind with your co-workers with a virtual event. Here are some fun and engaging virtual celebration ideas to show your team a good time at this year’s Christmas party.
Virtual Secret Santa/Gift Exchange
Organise a Secret Santa gift exchange among co-workers using an Internet-based gift exchange generator like Draw Names. These systems allow both remote and in-office employees to get into the holiday spirit. Just enter the names of your participants and send a virtual invitation for everyone to draw the name of their gift recipient.
Make sure to set a budget that is within everyone’s comfort level. Ask employees to order gifts ahead of time and send them directly to the recipients. Set your event day for the ‘big reveal’ where everyone can unwrap their gifts and show off what they received! Employees can then guess who their Secret Santa is!
Dress Up
Encourage the team to dress up for the special occasion. They can dress up in a Santa hat, a Christmas sweater or t-shirt, reindeer ears, holiday jewellery, or even a Santa costume! You can make it a little more interesting by holding a competition and giving rewards for the best dressed to bring some festive cheer and encourage participation.
Bake Sweet Treats
Consider hosting a virtual cookie exchange or bake-off. Each employee can prepare a batch of their favourite holiday treats and show it off at the virtual party. Rather than exchanging cookies in person, try swapping recipes! You can compile all of the recipes into a cookbook and email copies to everyone. Another alternative is to host a gingerbread house decorating party to showcase your employee’s creative abilities.
Organise a Crafting Session
Involve your employees and their families in Christmas crafting activities. Distribute kits with all the supplies needed to create an ornament, wreath, bookmark, or other seasonal decorations. Everyone can create something unique and share it with their co-workers on the company’s social media platform.
Spread the Positivity
Create a social media hashtag specific to your organisation’s Christmas party. This is an excellent opportunity to encourage everyone to come on –board and share their Christmas crafts, ugly Christmas sweaters, workplace decorations, and home-baked cookies. And it lets customers and potential employees see your positive work culture in action.
Send a Gift Hamper
To express gratitude for your employee’s hard work and dedication, surprise them with a Christmas gift hamper. It’s a small token to make them feel connected and appreciated while not physically being together. These festive treats are sure to get everyone into the Christmas spirit in no time.
Just because your team cannot gather to celebrate the holidays in person doesn’t mean you have to forgo this staple workplace tradition! As always it’s an excellent time for businesses to help their employees step away from the daily grind and immerse themselves in the festive spirit and connect with their co-workers away from their daily to-do lists.
