virtual ways to celebrate the holidays with colleagues.

While hybrid working is gaining ground, many of us still spend most of the year working from home. Most of our interactions with colleagues have been virtual.

But that doesn't mean that you should be excluded from end-of-year celebrations or that you can't organize an end-of-year party.

In addition to organizing a Zoom get-together for the festive season, there are many creative ways to celebrate the holidays with your professional family.

Below are a few ideas to consider.

1. remote secret santa

A holiday gift exchange is a common tradition in many workplaces. If you work remotely, instead of exchanging gifts in person, you'll mail them to your gift recipient's home.

Alternatively, you could organize a white elephant exchange.

It may be necessary to appoint one person to oversee the gift exchange to ensure everyone receives a gift. Subsequently, everyone can open the gifts they receive during a holiday video celebration.

2. holiday decoration competition

Infuse your colleagues with the holiday spirit by hosting a Christmas tree or holiday decoration reveal.

Encourage your team to showcase their decorations or the festive light displays in their homes. You can foster a bit of friendly competition by providing a prize.

Remember to be inclusive! If you have team members of other faiths, suggest that they share their decorations to celebrate Hanukkah, Diwali, Winter Solstice, or other winter holidays.

3. fun out-of-office messages for the holidays.

Bring some fun to your holiday emails! Host a contest for the funniest out-of-office messages during the holiday season.

Smiles and even laughter are guaranteed! If you're feeling uninspired, we have a series of templates you can use to have a good time writing your out-of-office messages. All you have to do is copy and paste.

4. share holiday traditions

Families cherish a variety of unique holiday traditions. Encourage your colleagues to submit their families' favorite holiday traditions anonymously.

Read these traditions to the team and challenge them to guess whose tradition it is.

It can be a surprisingly enjoyable way to foster team camaraderie, getting to know one another beyond work-related aspects and sharing personal stories.

5. holiday baking show and tell

Holiday goodies are a big part of the season. Host a holiday baking show and tell to show off Christmas treats. Top it off with an exchange of holiday recipes.

6. holiday drink mixology

Most people enjoy a holiday drink or two during the season. Host a holiday drink mixology social to get people into the holiday spirit.

Have colleagues share their favourite holiday drinks.

If you want to take it a step further, you could have one colleague do a live demonstration to show everyone else how to make holiday concoctions like a killer peppermint hot cocoa or spiced apple cider.

7. holiday movie trivia

Holiday movie quotes are popular in the workplace during the holidays. Put your employees’ holiday movie knowledge to the test.

Find out who has the most random holiday knowledge or who watches too many holiday movies this time of year!

8. holiday scavenger hunt 

Playing a game or two is common at holiday parties. A holiday scavenger hunt is a great way to get people moving and do something holiday-esque.

Ask your team to search for a list of random items in their home. Have everyone race against one another to find the items first, and watch the competitive streaks emerge! 

9. holiday gift boxes 

One way to express appreciation is by sending your best colleague a holiday gift box and having them open it during your virtual get-together.

The contents of the gift box can range from traditional holiday treats like hot chocolate, chocolates, and baked goods to stationery, online subscriptions, and anything else you think your team would enjoy.

Even though you worked remotely this year, it doesn't mean you can't still celebrate with them.

Consider the above ideas for a virtual holiday party and dedicate some much-needed time to enjoy the company of your coworkers this holiday season.