Top 10 Virtual Christmas Party Ideas for 2020

Christmas is almost here, but it feels a little different this year due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Families, friends and work colleagues have been forced to look at different ways to catch-up for some festive socialising due to COVID restrictions. This has led to a huge increase in people organising virtual events, something that can be done whilst in the comfort and safety of your own home. With that in mind, we have looked at some of the most popular virtual events ideas that you can do this year.

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1. Cocktail Making

Who can say no to a cocktail? Virtual cocktail making can be a fantastic way to connect with friends and colleagues for whom a face to face class is not practical.

Whilst they are relatively easy to organise and put on yourself, a better way might be to use one of the many companies that now offer virtual masterclasses online. They will typically send you a list of instructions and if applicable, all the ingredients (including non-alcoholic if required) and equipment to every participant. They will give you a feeling of what it’s like to make cocktails in a professional way, plus you will get to learn about the history of each cocktail and why the ingredients work together. You could even make it a little competitive by judging who has made the best cocktail based on appearance and your honesty on what it tastes like. 

2. Murder Mystery

There are a few versions of the festive Murder Mystery Events available online. You can choose between a high tech Cluedo style app-based game or with live virtual actors. Each experience involves the challenge of solving all kind of clues, examining evidence, and chasing for suspects to unravel the crime. You normally work in teams to share ideas and thoughts to try and work out who is the murderer whilst identifying the weapon, scene and motive. 

3. Christmas Karaoke

It wouldn’t be a Christmas party without some spirited singing with family, friends or colleagues! It is easy to do it and anyone can join in. All you need is a platform like Sync Video, which is free and doesn’t require any sign-ups but allows every player of your virtual Christmas party to watch at the same time as they are precisely synchronised. Let the cringeworthy covers begin!

4. Virtual Secret Santa

Just because your colleagues are remote it doesn’t mean the office Secret Santa can’t go ahead. It works exactly the same way as the usual Secret Santa, you just have to go one step further by posting your gift(s) to your colleague. Someone from the company can pull names out of a hat or use a platform like this to assign each name to a person joining your virtual party. Why not make it even more entertaining by giving it a theme?

5. Christmas Quiz

Virtual Christmas quizzes are the way to go in Christmas 2020. We all saw how virtual quizzes took off during the first national lockdown and become a staple of any virtual party. Thanks to technology and online party software like this, you can now make the most amusing, interactive quizzes and host them live and totally free.

6. Online Musical Bingo

Online Musical Bingo is a fun game you can play at your virtual party. All attendants are given a clipboard, dabber and bingo cards containing a number of Christmas songs. You don’t need to panic; they are all big selling Christmas singles and easily recognisable as long as you listen carefully!

7. Festive Food Making

This is another idea that can be done using a professional company. Much like a virtual cocktail making class, you will be sent a recipe card and prep sheet (complete with shopping list, equipment needed and set-up tips), so you can be ready to go when you log into the online session. Whether it’s a festive chocolate making, virtual bake-off cookery or even a sushi making class, everyone will enjoy improving their MasterChef skills.

8. Funniest Dress-Up Competition

This one speaks for itself and it’s arguably the easiest one to do online. From ugliest Christmas jumper to Christmas trees and self-made-up costumes, you can get as far as your imagination goes!

9. Craft Events

Whether you’re making Christmas stockings, decorating gingerbread houses or your very own door wreath, craft making can be a memorable experience to enjoy. One of the best ways to approach it is to find the most talented craft maker in your party and ask them to show you step by step how to do it. Using simple materials will make it less complicated and creating a tangible keepsake for future Christmases will be a great way to get you into the festive spirit.

10. Work Christmas Awards

A virtual awards ceremony is an ideal way to show appreciation to your colleagues. Creating an actual award and doing a mini-speech is a wonderful way of bringing everyone together and creating a sense of solidarity during this unprecedented year. If it’s a family party, then you can come up with your own fun awards – like the best cook, best gardener etc.

While the holidays are getting a virtual makeover this year thanks to the pandemic, there’s still much to be excited about — murder mysteries, great food, competitions and gift-giving. Luckily for us, we found many different ways to entertain and engage during online holiday parties, and most importantly, they’re nowhere near boring!

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