With Covid-19 still being around this December, we once again are facing new issues. Usually, it is the time of the year to get together with colleagues, friends and the entire family, and enjoy a good time together. But in an age where we are obliged to stay at home and practise social distancing, what can we do about our beloved Christmas parties? Luckily, we are here to the rescue, as we got 15 great ways to make this year's Christmas party virtual, and thereby safe for everybody. The following article includes games and other activities that are very entertaining and can be done online without a problem. These activities are perfect for both your business Christmas party and private Christmas parties.
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1. Virtual Christmas Dinner
Going to a restaurant and dining together is one of the most common activities for Christmas parties, especially for company Christmas parties. Having some drinks, enjoying good food and having fun chatting with your colleagues or friends can definitely be considered a highlight in every year! However, going out to eat, especially with a large group of people, should definitely be avoided in current times and is even prohibited in some countries. If you still don't want to dispense with a dinner together, there are great virtual alternatives! Everyone could, for example, cook their favourite meal at home - then you meet & eat virtually while chatting with your fellow chefs about their meals. You could even decide on one recipe you all enjoy and everyone cooks the same meal at home: this will give you even more the impression of dining together! If some or all of you do not like to cook, you could always get take-out instead.
Pro's:
- dine together
- also possible for larger groups
- very natural & casual
2. Holiday Charades
You can never go wrong with a nice little round of charades! For those of you who don't know what charades is (is there anyone, really?): it's a game where you draw from a pot of words, act out said word (you're not allowed to talk), and your fellow players must guess what it is. Since you obviously cannot draw from the same pot of words when you're in a video conference, you will have to use another method. You can either a) let every person think of a word that they want to act out for themselves or b) use an online word generator like (The Game Gal), where you can choose the game "Holidays" and category "Christmas" to get words that are suited for your Christmas charades.
Pro's:
- get moving & be active
- fun activity
- great for smaller groups
3. Christmas Card Competition
This activity is the most fun if some or all of you know how to use Photoshop or similar software (but it also works if you don't, since you could easily use PowerPoint, Paint, or literally any other program that lets you manipulate or create images). It only takes a little preparation in advance, but it is definitely worth it: everyone creates a Christmas card - there are literally no boundaries here. You can go as wild on glitter, santa hats, and other cheesy elements as you want. In fact, naming the whole thing "Ugly Christmas Card Competition" makes it even more funny. Once you meet online, everyone shares their design and says a few words about it. If you want, you can choose a winner in the end (Who had the best/worst card?). This activity guarantees some good laughs, which we all need right now! P.S.: If you work in a design company, this activity is an absolute must!
Pro's:
- creative exercise
- very funny
- especially for people who enjoy design
4. Gratefulness Exercise
Christmas is the time to be grateful for what you have, to review life and to appreciate the moment. Especially when times are hard, it is incredibly important to remind yourself of the things that are working out in your life and to really appreciate what you have. For this little activity, each person writes down what they are grateful for at the moment - it can be major things like a good relationship with your family or your job security, or just minor everyday things like the good breakfast you had today, or that the weather outside is nice. Once everyone has written down what they are thankful for, read your things out aloud. As more and more people share their positive thoughts, all of you will benefit from a real positivity-boost, too!
Pro's:
- strengthens mental health
- connects people
- no preparation needed
5. Sing (or listen to) Christmas Songs together
Christmas carols are an essential part of every Holiday party. For many, there is nothing better than getting together with loved ones and singing all the songs we know so well. Even though it is not as nice as singing together in person, singing together in a video conference can be really entertaining as well. Maybe there is even someone who can play the guitar or the piano while the others sing along? If none of you are keen on singing, you can always just listen to music instead. That way, you all can have a private concert featuring Wham!, Mariah Carey and many more at home!
Pro's:
- fun activity
- music connects people
- works with both small and larger groups
6. Would You Rather - Christmas Edition
"Would you rather" is a game where players are given two (im)possible scenarios, and they have to decide on which one they'd rather face. You can easily play it in video meetings, just be sure every participant has one sheet of paper that says "A" and one that says "B". (make sure the letters are readably on camera) Now, one of you is going to start reading the scenarios out loud. On the count of three, everyone holds either the "A" or the "B" card into the camera. You will definitely get some surprising answers - it is then always fun to discuss them in the group afterwards! There are tons of Would You Rather - scenarios that you can find online, but since it's for a Christmas party, we also wanted to give you some Christmas-related scenarios to work with:
Would you rather...
- A. have a carriage with flying reindeers
- B. have a little elf who follows you around and helps you with anything
Would you rather...
- A. celebrate Christmas at home
- B. celebrate Christmas somewhere far away
Would (Do) you rather...
- A. buy presents on time / in advance
- B. buy presents last-minute shortly before Christmas Eve
Would you rather...
- A. want "Last Christmas" to be the only song you can listen to for the rest of your life
- B. want "The Grinch" to be the only movie you can watch for the rest of your life
Would you rather...
- A. spend Christmas in the snow
- B. spend Christmas on the beach
Would you rather...
- A. never get any presents for Christmas
- B. never eat any Holiday dinner
Use SlideLizard and make the game even more fun!
If you want to see the results (as in percentages of people choosing A and B), and make voting as easy as possible, be sure to check out SlideLizard. That way, you can simply enter the questions on your PowerPoint slides, fellow players connect over their browser on their phone or notebook and can simply vote for their preferred option. You'll find out more about SlideLizard at the end of this article.
Pro's:
- very funny
- also great for large groups
7. Holiday Pictionary
Pictionary is just like charades, but instead of acting out words, you have to draw them! There are even some online tools (like Scribble.io), that automatically give you terms to draw and reward points to those who get it. But you could also easily adapt the game and just play it during a regular video conference: the person who draws just shares their screen, and then uses a software of their choice (like Paint, Photoshop, or GIMP) to draw the term. Just like with charades, you can either make up your own words, or you use an online word generator (e. g. The Game Gal), where you simply choose the game "Holidays" and category "Christmas" to get a variety of terms centred around Christmas.
Pro's:
- creative exercise
- very funny
- also for larger groups
8. Christmas Trivia
Most people LOVE trivia quizzes, and so do we! You really can't do anything wrong when going for a classic trivia game at your Christmas party, it doesn't matter if you play with your business colleagues, friends or family. It becomes especially great when you adapt the questions and centre them around Christmas. Feel free to use the ones we prepared here:
What is the Christmas tree's origin country?
- USA
- Germany
- Norway
- The Czech Republic
Which one of the following is NOT one of Santa's reindeers?
- Dasher
- Comet
- Rudolph
- Vancer
What is often used to decorate Christmas trees in Poland?
- spider webs
- old socks
- eggshells
- ripped book pages
Which one of these is the best-selling Christmas song of all time?
- All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
- Last Christmas - Wham!
- Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid
- White Christmas - Bing Crosby
A Japanese tradition is to spend Christmas eve...
- away from your husband or wife.
- at KFC.
- in Irish pubs.
- abroad.
Trivia Quizzes with SlideLizard
Conducting Trivia quizzes without the mess of people randomly shouting out answers (or nobody wanting to answer at all) can be tricky, especially online. We recommend using a tool like SlideLizard: the quiz participants can log in with a QR-code or a short URL in their favourite browser (on their mobile phone or laptop), and they will be able to vote directly over their device. That way, you will also be see the amount of people who voted for a certain answer.
Pro's:
- learn something new
- fun activity
- also works with very large groups
9. Storytime
This is a very casual exercise, but it definitely helps if you've somehow ran out of things to talk about during your online Christmas party! The concept is that everyone thinks of an interesting story about themselves (ideally involving Christmas) - and then tells that story to the others. As mentioned, this is very simple, but we love it, because you can learn so many fun new things about the people you're with. Especially when doing this activity with work colleagues at your business Christmas party, there are usually a lot of new interesting things you can learn about them. We often don't take enough time in our daily life to really listen and enjoy, so your online Christmas party might be the perfect place to finally do so!
Pro's:
- connects people
- learn something new about friends/family/colleagues
10. Christmas DIY-Session
If a bunch of creative people get together for an online Christmas celebration, a little DIY-session is absolutely necessary! There are literally no boundaries as to what to do here, really (it depends on available time and skill, though). There are thousands of inspirations and tutorials online for little Christmas decorations, such as origami reindeer, crafting a candle holder, or making your own Christmas tree decoration. You can choose which one you would like to do (we recommend using a DIY-project with supplies most people have at home), and then get together in your virtual space, crafting together, chatting or listening to Christmas songs while doing so.
Pro's:
- creative exercise
- make beautiful Christmas decoration
11. Christmas Karaoke
Unfortunately, we cannot visit our favourite karaoke bars at the moment. The good news is: you can make your own home a karaoke bar. And what's the only thing that is better than regular karaoke? Right, it's Christmas karaoke. So get out your best speakers, open YouTube and look for a karaoke version of your favourite Christmas song! Chances are everyone in the video conference will immediately join you and dance and sing along.
Pro's:
- music connects people
- get into Holiday-mood
- can be super funny
12. Share your favourite recipes
This again is a pretty easy activity you can do without much preparation. Christmas is a time for friends and family, but it is also a time for culinary highlights! So why not use your online Christmas party to share your favourite Holiday recipes with your friends or colleagues? It can be fun to learn what different people or families are cooking during the Christmas holidays, and it is a perfect source for inspiration. To take it to the next level, you could even show pictures or make whole presentations about your holiday food preferences. It is the ultimate activity if lots of foodies attend your Christmas party!
Pro's:
- improve cooking skills
- learn something new
- get new ideas
13. Year Review
Let's be honest: 2020 probably wasn't anyone's favourite year. Still, if we really think about it, most of us have had a lot of of positive experiences and beautiful moments. Stopping for a moment in December and reviewing the past year is something we all should do, and it is even better when we do it together! It helps to conclude the past 12 months, making us ready for the next 12 to come. So why not, for this year's Christmas party, let everyone briefly sum up their year? You can mention highs and lows, your favourite moments, special events, things you are proud of or grateful for, and basically anything else that comes to mind when thinking about this past year.
Pro's:
- connects people
- draw a conclusion to this year
14. Two Truths and a Lie
"Two Truths and a Lie" is another game that is very popular due to it being both super easy and super fun. If you don't know the game - here's how it works: Every player thinks of 3 facts about themselves. 2 of them should be true, and one should be made up. The other players then have to guess which one of the statements is the lie. If you want to crown a winner, you can reward yourself one point for each lie that you have caught. And of course, if you play this game at your virtual Christmas party, be sure to give the facts a Christmas-y twist, such as: 1. As a kid, I didn't enjoy Christmas very much; 2. I've spent the last 2 Christmas eve's alone because my partner had to work; 3. I once forgot to buy my mother a Christmas present; (these are all made up, by the way!) This, again, is a great way to get to know your colleagues at a business Christmas party.
Pro's:
- little preparation needed
- fun activity
15. Dramatic Christmas Story Reading
There is an endless number of Christmas stories. And if you think that they're all just for kids, think again! Many have a truly deep meaning and truth in them, some are extremely funny, and some are really exciting. Maybe there are a few storytellers in your virtual Christmas meeting? If so, having two or three people read some stories is a great element in any holiday party! And for the very advanced story tellers or writers (or for people who aren't shy and want to try something different): why not do a Christmas-themed poetry slam? That will definitely be something to remember.
Pro's:
- get into Christmas-mood
- works for small and big groups
How to conduct your Christmas party this year
In order to make your Christmas party work this year, you'll have to use a tool for online conferencing. There are many great options available, and you probably already found your favourite software. If you want to incorporate activities like live polls or trivia quizzes, or find an easy way to share content with everyone attending your Christmas party, we want to introduce you to SlideLizard: it is an amazing tool that is directly integrated in PowerPoint - you can share live streams, your slides, conduct polls and quizzes, make live Q&A sessions, get audience feedback and so much more. And the download is free! So if you are looking to spice up not only your Christmas party, but also step up your presentation game, you should definitely get SlideLizard right away!
