As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, large holiday gatherings will not be taking place at Memorial this year; however, virtual celebrations led by individual units are encouraged. Such virtual celebrations could replace the events that would have taken place throughout the season, including any events that units would normally have planned for Christmas Eve.  

Virtual activites

There are many great virtual holiday office party ideas and activities available on the internet. Here are a few ideas that may boost the holiday cheer within your team!

1. Celebrate diversity - Chances are, your team members celebrate different holidays. The logistics of office celebrations mean you cannot throw a party for every holiday, but virtual parties offer more flexibility. One of the best virtual holiday party ideas is to invite team members to share their culture’s unique celebration with the rest of the team. Be careful not to put anyone on the spot, particularly if you are not sure whether they even celebrate the holidays. If you have a smaller group, you can also incorporate this idea with #3 below, so that everyone has the opportunity to share their favorite part of the season. You can ask participants to explain the holiday’s significance to the others. You can also ask your “holiday leader” to prepare a special virtual activity for the rest of the team such as making a traditional meal or playing a game. Celebrating a variety of holidays allows all team members to celebrate special occasions in the workplace and acknowledges and respects individuals.

2. Organize a recipe exchange - With people cooking at home more than ever, our go-to dishes might be getting a bit boring. Mix it up by trading recipes with your coworkers as a fun way to share cultural holiday cuisine.

3. Share a holiday tradition - A fun way to get to know each other is to share a family tradition each team member practices. Pre-plan by sending the team a few suggestions about the types of things they may wish to share to help get them started thinking about what they may want to say. This type of preparation will keep your virtual party going and your team members engaged.

4. Ugly holiday sweater virtual party/contest - Ugly sweater parties are gatherings where party attendees wear the tackiest holiday-themed sweaters imaginable. The apparel is the centerpiece of a remote ugly sweater party. Ensure all members of the team feel respected and comfortable during your virtual party. Sweaters must be work-appropriate so outlining outfit dos and don’ts before the party is a good idea. Luckily, throwing an ugly sweater party online is just as easy and fun as an in-person affair. Challenge your team members to create a more festive environment by changing up their backdrop to a seasonal scene. If you have a larger group, add some more fun by voting on different categories like funniest, best pop culture reference, cutest, or most creative.

5. Share a family holiday memory - During your virtual party, invite team members to share a favorite family holiday memory. This is a great way to learn more about your co-workers and the significance of the holiday season to them.

6. Create a slideshow of holiday decorations - Ask employees to share pictures of their holiday décor or house decorations. Then solicit a volunteer to create a montage of these pictures and share with all employees. You can even make this the centerpiece of your virtual holiday party to generate some lively discussion.

7. Friendly snow sculpture contest - Not sure we will have enough snow prior to the holidays but, if we do, this could be a lot of fun. Employees could submit their photos to incorporate into a slideshow or for judging.

For ideas on celebrating the holidays virtually with family, please click here and check out this website.

A number of holidays are celebrated this time of year by members of the university community.  Please click here for a list of holidays being recognized. For additional information, please click here.

For a listing of scheduled university holidays, please click here.