Suppose you’re looking for engaging virtual Christmas party ideas to help you motivate, encourage and bring your family and friends together. This article is for you because Christmas is the time to get everyone together and have fun.

13 Great Ideas for a Virtual Christmas Party

Read on for more fun and festive Christmas party ideas and themes while having social distancing by going virtual. But before that, let’s review some questions about virtual Christmas parties.

What is a Virtual Christmas Party?

It is a way of getting together family members via video conferencing tools instead of face-to-face celebrations. It allows them to come together virtually without leaving the comfort zone of their own house. Some video conferencing platforms are Zoom, Google Hangouts, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and more.

Are Virtual Parties Engaging?

Yes, they are engaging, especially for those family members who stay away and often see each other. Such virtual parties can be an ideal way to create connections and bond with them.

What Are the Benefits?

Virtual parties can be much fun in the pandemic era. It even has some the advantages, such as keeping families together across the globe, creating great memories, and being a good option for the long run. Moreover, you can spend your holiday right from the comfort of your home.

How to Plan a Perfect Virtual Family Christmas Party?

When you’re asking how to prepare for a virtual Christmas party, here’s a small guide about everything you need to know.

  • Make a guest list
  • Decide a platform (consider guest’s comfortability)
  • Decide a date and time that are convenient for all your guests
  • Send out e-invites in advance
  • For the Secret Santa party, send the instructions along with the invitations.
  • Decide a theme for the eve
  • Tell your guests a general agenda of the party
  • Plan some games and a few icebreakers
  • Stick to an hour-long party
  • Record the celebration and also take screenshots
  • So, here is the perfect virtual party ideas for your Christmas and holidays

Have a Secret Santa

Elevate your Christmas party and add a surprising element by hosting a Secret Santa gift exchange. It is similar to other Christmas parties, but you must set a budget and assign a Secret Santa to every attendee. Then, when you go live, ask attendees to open your gifts and talk about the gifts. Some examples of gifts are city scavenger hunt games, music streaming subscriptions, in-home scavenger hunts, food delivery service gift cards, DIY Gift Cards, Airbnb Credit, paper books or audible subscriptions, online streaming, online exercise subscription, and many more.

Live tour a Christmas market

You can allow your family, friends, and co-workers to access the inaccessible spots in real life by going virtual. To get into the Christmas spirit this year, take them on a virtual tour of the most beautiful and unique Christmas markets around the globe. For example, take a virtual tour to experience the local market’s vibrant vibe in The Sights and Smells of Taipei, Moscow, Europe, and all Christmas festive markets all across the continents.

Virtual Carol Concert

This Christmas, sing your heart out and support vital causes from the comfort of your home by musically celebrating this festive season. Arrange virtual carol concerts for your families and friends, or have carolers pop in when you’re transitioning from one activity to the next in your virtual party. If you’re not ready for an entire karaoke session, so leave the singing to the professionals by hiring a caroling troupe.

Virtual Gingerbread Wars

Virtual Gingerbread War is fun, including themed games, actual cookies, and competitions. Before you schedule the event, send a gingerbread kit in the mail to people who will attend the party. Then, bring them on a video call for games and competitions like gingerbread self-portraits and holiday trivia. It might be around a 90-minute event with a cheerful lead host, a co-host, and many participants. Such ideas are cheerful and may be the best way to celebrate the holidays with your family and friends.

The Naughty List – Fun Icebreaker

 Consider adding games like The Naughty List. It can be a unique holiday variation of the game Never Have I Ever. To start with the game, create a list of juicy holiday-themed action statements to put you on the list. This game requires everyone to hold up ten fingers, and each member turns to make a statement starting with “You’re on the naughty list if….” If the member has done that thing, the member will lower one finger, and the game will continue for a set number of rounds. Your fingers should remain in the air at the end of all rounds to win the game.

Adventures from Scratch: Family Edition

If you’re family and friends love adventure, gift them this interactive book so that they can enjoy a fun quest on a virtual event. It has more than 50 scratch-off adventures, including moving, cooking, creating, or getting silly, and many more hilarious adventures. Even there are unique pass-it-on cards so anyone can spread the joy of experience wherever they go.

City Scavenger Hunt

Send your family and friends the City Scavenger Hunt game in advance to play during the virtual celebration. It has more than 500 cities worldwide to choose from, and it can be a thrilling app-led adventure that takes them to the most famous landmarks, with fun facts and trivia in tow. Even as a host, you can customize for date night and haunted hunts and explore for Christmas, such as winter-themed roles.

Watch holiday party

A watch holiday party is just like those Netflix parties, but it has the twist of watching Christmas movies together virtually. Guests can select any Christmas classics, such as Home Alone, Die Hard, A Christmas Story, and many more. Watch the tales with your friends and families. Even while watching, ask everyone to make some popcorn and hot chocolate. Such activity provides a nice balance between social time and downtime by making it a true Christmas treat.

Also Read: What are Budgeting Best Practices for Corporate Events?

Bake together

This season, bake together and spread the love with your loved ones. Make some delicious cookies decorate them together and experience a baking adventure. Send out DIY cookie decorating kits to all your guests in advance. The kids will include pre-baked sugar cookies, frosting material, and some sprinkles. However, you can also use store-bought icing or make your own frosting to make patterns and decorate those customized cookies. Once the baking is over, send those cookies to your family and friends as Christmas sweets and treats.

Build gingerbread houses

This Christmas season, get creative, fun, and a little bit sticky by building a gingerbread house. Send your attendees a gingerbread house kit or send a card so that they can choose one for themselves. Then, ask everyone to decorate their gingerbread house live at the event. Once everyone decorates the house, vote on the best decorations and offer a prize for the winner.

White Elephant Party

After Secret Santa, White Elephant Parties are a new way of gift exchanging in town. You can form a team and act like the Grinch and steal each other’s Christmas presents. It is an in-person Christmas game, but you can still do it with your remote employees. For playing virtually, upload an image of an item from Amazon or any other online site and let everyone steal the gifts. Once the game is over, and you know which team member won each item, and at last, the gift-givers will purchase that gift and will ship it to the winner.

Holiday Gift Boxes

Sometimes sending gifts in the mail is the best surprise. You can reward your friends and families with a gift of goodies. Consider sending out those little goodies before the event. To make your gift box try these options such as snacks, beverages, accessories, activities, swag, and gift cards for stores or subscriptions.

Origami Ornaments

Want to get crafty this Christmas season? Opt for Origami ornaments you and your family can make to decorate the Christmas tree or give to a charity.  There are several origami projects on the internet to try out. All you need is some origami paper, a dash of glue, glitters, colorful pens, scissors, and other décor things. Please send all items to the attendees in advance so that you all can make them together during the virtual event.

Conclusion

With a virtual Christmas Party, one can only have fun without leaving their comfort zones. Hopefully, these ideas spark creativity and guide you to host your upcoming virtual Christmas party. Also, check the features of the video conferencing tool that you will use.