5 creative holiday party ideas for remote teams

Holiday parties are a classic way to toast the season, thank your employees for their dedication, and foster good cheer at your organization. But with many employees still in remote work environments, meaningful holidays celebrations are challenging.

During the season of giving, it’s a good idea for remote teams to gather virtually. Leaders can show their appreciation and employees can recognize the hard work of their peers. But without adding a special celebratory component to your virtual party, holiday gatherings can feel like any other meeting you've held throughout the year.

Here are creative remote holiday party ideas so that you can host a memorable gathering that your employees will love, plus links to specific Visit.org experiences that are available to book now!

1. Host a live holiday cooking class

Add a fun, hands-on component to your holiday party by hosting a live virtual cooking class. Employees can either buy their own ingredients to follow along with the recipe in their home kitchen or take notes to make a festive dish later in the season.

With Visit.org, a virtual holiday cooking class experience can also support a global nonprofit that helps mitigate food insecurity (which aligns with U.N. SDG #2 of Zero Hunger) and promote healthy eating.

Try: Cook Classic Hanukkah Meals to Support Adaptive Culinary Education

2. Participate in a drag bingo game

If you’re interested in a high-energy virtual event that your team will remember, consider hosting a drag bingo game! Not only will your team compete against each other in bingo, they’ll also experience an unforgettable performance of holiday songs, jokes, stories, and more.

Visit.org’s drag bingo experience is created in partnership with a nonprofit that promotes inclusivity and DEIB initiatives through the arts around the world.

Try: A Drag Bingo Event

3. Invite rescued animals to crash your virtual holiday party

Party crashers are typically discouraged. But when they’re adorable rescued farm animals, they’re a welcome interruption!

In this Visit.org virtual experience, animals such as goats, horses, donkeys, and cows will join your team online to spread joy. Your team will learn the background of these animals, the importance of animal welfare, and how the nonprofit partner uses animal therapy to support mental health in the workplace programs.

Try: Welcome Rescued Animals to Your Virtual Get-Togethers

4. Brighten the day of an older adult

A hands-on volunteering experience is a great way to engage your team from afar while making a community impact. Writing holiday greeting cards to older adults who are experiencing loneliness is a heart-warming team activity that can easily be hosted online.

Pro tip: You can send every employee a package of card-making materials ahead of the meeting to ensure that participants have festive pens, notecards, envelopes, and stickers handy to make a cheery, personalized card.

Try: Create Heartfelt Holiday Cards for Older Adults

5. Enjoy a live musical performance

Research shows that when people hear live music together, audience member heart rates and breathing rhythms synchronize. Consider centering your virtual holiday party around a live music performance of holiday classics. With Visit.org as a partner, your team can enjoy music while also supporting worthy initiatives such as arts education, creative programs for veterans, and more. Using the video call chat functionality, some musicians can even take live requests from the audience, creating a highly interactive event.

Try: A Holiday Zoom-Bopping Session with a Children's Choir; A Social Hour of Live Music from Nashville Songwriters to Support Veterans