The holiday season can be a whirlwind of competing activities and priorities. When it’s not feasible to travel across the country to be with friends and loved ones during the holiday seasons, planning a virtual holiday gathering on a platform such as Zoom is a fun alternative.
Tips for Planning a Virtual Holiday Gathering
Virtual festivities require a little more forethought and planning, but your efforts will be rewarded with an event that runs smoothly from start to finish. Use the following suggestions to help you plan:
Create a Schedule
What time will everyone need to log on? If you are planning to eat your meal together (see below), when will that start? Creating a schedule for how the event will flow from start to finish will help keep everyone on the same page. Keep time zones in mind as you plan, leave extra room in your schedule, remember to be flexible – and most importantly have fun!
Plan Your Meal
An elaborate meal with all the trimmings is the centerpiece of most holiday festivities. Decide in advance if your event will include cooking together, eating together, or some sort of combination. For instance, you can enjoy cocktails and appetizers first, eat your meal separately, and then reconnect for coffee and dessert. One of the great things about virtual gatherings are their flexibility, so choose whatever works best for you and your family.
Send an Invite
Sending a formal invitation with all the details for your virtual holiday event is a good idea. Make sure it is sent well in advance with instructions for how you will be connecting – Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, etc. Include a link for the meeting, if needed. If you are creating a customized playlist (see below), add a link for that as well. Planning to cook together? Share the menu with links to the recipes you will be using.
Schedule a Dress Rehearsal
Scheduling a practice session is a great way to work out potential bugs, and relieve some of the stress ahead of your event. Family members who aren’t tech savvy will likely appreciate the extra opportunity to practice and ask questions too. To eliminate distracting background noise, make sure that everyone who is attending knows how to use the mute button.
Party Ideas to Consider
Once the basics for your event have been set, you can think about adding elements that are fun and creative. The following is by no means an exhaustive list – treat it as a starting point and let your imagination be your guide!
Set the Scene
Add a festive, or nostalgic touch to your event with a customized background. Changing your background in Zoom is fairly simple – select a photo you have available on your desktop, or download a holiday-themed wallpaper. Encourage your attendees to join in the fun!
Curate a Holiday Playlist
Create a collaborative holiday playlist on a music service such as Spotify that attendees can contribute to. This guide from PC magazine gives you easy to follow step-by-step instructions.
While there may be too much lag time on the call to sing along to holiday favorites in perfect harmony, the experience of being in different places but listening to the same soundtrack can make the event feel cozier and more festive.
Openers and Icebreakers
Icebreakers can be a fun way to open your virtual holiday gathering, especially if it has been awhile since you have seen with your friends and family. Questions like, “What’s your favorite holiday movie?” or “If you were stuck on a desert island with only one object, what would it be?” can help spark conversations and engage more introverted family members.
Don’t be afraid to ask talented friends and family members to help you with entertainment. Are you lucky enough to have a family member who’s a great singer? Invite them to open the event with their favorite holiday song so everyone can get into the spirit of the season! Maybe you have a family member who’s a natural performer? Ask them to open the party with a dramatic reading from a holiday favorite.
Arrange a Virtual Tasting
Just because you aren’t in the same room (or even the same time zone!) doesn’t mean you can’t experience new food and beverage pairings together. If time and budget allow, you can send each household a “tasting kit” containing select goodies that you will open and enjoy together during the virtual event. Or, you can suggest a food and beverage that attendees purchase prior to the party. If you want a more coordinated, curated virtual tasting, you can also explore offerings from one of these tasting companies.
Open Gifts Together
If exchanging presents is part of the planned festivities, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Due to the volume of mail around the holidays, make sure everyone sends their packages well in advance of the event. Determine ahead of time how presents will be opened – one person at a time from each family, youngest to oldest, etc. Encourage the person opening the gift to hold it up to the camera so everyone can see and enjoy what was sent.
Family Games and Activities
Everyone has feasted. The presents have been opened. Before you sign off, plan to have some fun together as a family. If watching a holiday movie is a part of your family tradition, you can still do that together using an online streaming service like Disney+ or Teleparty. If you’re feeling particularly festive, host a virtual karaoke party with apps like Virtual Voicebox in Zoom, or play a game of holiday bingo where everyone can participate from their own dining room table.
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