17 Best Virtual Holiday Party Ideas for Large Companies

The best virtual holiday party ideas are everywhere around us. You just need to be creative about it.

We recently surveyed over 102 companies and found that engagement events and activities are a top priority for big businesses. From Halloween to Mardi Gras, there is always something to celebrate in the workplace.

Celebrating is an integral part of a healthy and engaged workforce since it helps your team members engage on a deeper level and connect on something that isn’t work-related.

And just because your team is remote doesn’t mean you can’t get together to celebrate. In some cases, remote virtual holiday parties can even be easier to plan and get on everyone’s calendars.

If you aren’t sure what kind of holiday party to plan, don’t worry. We have you covered! There are seemingly endless holiday options for your workplace to use as an excuse to get together. Before you pick one, first consider your team’s unique needs and what they enjoy.

Best Virtual Holiday Party Ideas for Large Companies

Here are our best virtual holiday party ideas that you can use throughout the year:

• Tequila-tasting experience

• Celebrate the colder weather

• Earth Day celebration

• Ugly Christmas sweater party

• Holiday happy hour

• Festive decorating party

• Virtual holiday bingo

• Company Secret Santa

• Pumpkin-carving contest

• Themed mixology experience

• Speed dating

• Spooky escape room

• Gingerbread house building

• Chocolate tasting

• Scavenger hunts

• Costume contest

• Wine tasting

1. Tequila-tasting experience

Looking to celebrate mid-year? Consider a Cinco De Mayo Theme Event. This is the perfect experience to help combat employee burnout and provide them with a way to relax and unwind in the middle of the year.

2. Celebrate the colder weather

The best way to celebrate the colder weather, flannel coats, and pumpkin spice is with a Seasonal Cocktail Class. Create boozy seasonal cocktails from the comfort of their home.

3. Earth Day celebration

Earth Day is an important reminder of how sustainable changes can lead to big impacts. If you have a team you want to help go green, consider a Plants and Gardening virtual experience.

Throughout the experience, they’ll be able to connect with their coworkers while creating a one-of-a-kind garden or plant to liven up their workspaces.

4. Ugly Christmas sweater party

What is the best way to get in the holiday spirit? An ugly Christmas sweater party! Encourage your team to get festive and stay in the theme.

To take this virtual holiday party to the next level, plan some icebreakers or turn it into a happy hour to help get the conversation going.

5. Holiday happy hour

You can’t go wrong with a good old-fashioned holiday happy hour!

Happy hours are great for celebrating and providing your employees with an opportunity to connect in a relaxed environment outside of traditional work hours.

6. Festive decorating party

If you are looking for something more hands-on and interactive, consider a decorating class.

You can decorate cookies to fit the holiday you are celebrating, making them spooky for Halloween or festive for Thanksgiving. Plus, your team members will have delicious cookies to enjoy after the experience.

7. Virtual holiday bingo

If you have a team full of competitive individuals, the best virtual holiday party idea may be a game of Bingo. We don’t mean just any game of bingo, though.

Don’t be afraid to make this game of bingo correlate with the holiday of your choice. Have everyone join in with ugly Christmas sweaters, dress up for Halloween, or wear their best Fourth of July outfit. The choice is yours.

8. Company Secret Santa

A Secret Santa gift exchange is a great way to encourage team members to get to know each other and make everyone feel special.

Even with a remote workforce, you can surprise your coworkers while getting to know them better. Imagine the look on everyone’s face when they receive a secret Santa gift in the mail.

9. Pumpkin-carving contest

Embrace your inner child with a pumpkin-carving contest. Partner with a local orchard to get pumpkins to everyone on your team, or have them pick up their own pumpkins to participate. Then, let the friendly competition begin.

10. Themed mixology experience

Mixology experiences allow your team members to learn the ins and outs of their favourite libation.

The best part is, you can pair this experience with just about any holiday. Celebrate the New Year with a fancy cocktail, or try Mardi Gras Themed Mixology.

11. Speed dating

OK, maybe not speed dating in the traditional sense, but along the same lines, use this time to pair employees who might not otherwise interact on a daily basis. This allows them to connect like they were gathered around the water cooler.

You could even plan the event around Valentine’s Day to play on the theme.

12. Spooky escape room

What better way to get in the Halloween spirit than with a spooky escape room?

These are interactive and full of twists and turns so your team members will always be on the edge of their seats while collaborating with each other.

13. Gingerbread house building

A gingerbread house–building contest is sure to be finger-licking fun for everyone. You’ll want to send everyone all the fixings to build their own gingerbread house.

Creations can be made on camera during a happy hour or on their own time and then paired with virtual games during the unveiling.

14. Chocolate tasting

No matter the holiday, chocolate goes with everything.

To celebrate, provide your team with a chocolate-tasting experience they won’t get anywhere else. They’ll be able to indulge in the decadent taste of chocolate while sharing the experience with coworkers.

15. Scavenger hunts

After a long day at work, sometimes all you want to do is move your legs! A scavenger hunt has the added benefit of making it themed for a particular holiday.

A Team-Based Scavenger Hunt is a great virtual experience that is easy to plan. If you want to add a festive flair, have everyone wear an ugly Christmas sweater or an outfit that fits your holiday of choice.

16. Costume contest

Who doesn’t love a Zoom call full of spooky costumes? If it is Halloween time, you can turn any meeting into a virtual holiday party by adding a costume contest.

Take the experience to the next level by pairing it with a happy hour or meet and mingle.

17. Wine tasting

If you have a team full of oenophiles, you may want to plan a wine-tasting holiday party. This is a great way to help them experience new wines and guide them through how to taste wine for themselves. This could also work with a craft beer-tasting experience.

We hope this list of the best virtual holiday party ideas will help spark your interest and give you some ideas to plan your next virtual holiday party.