Christmas Virtual Games and Activities for Your Holiday Party

Remote working has meant giving up a lot of additional benefits, including the annual Christmas party. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy the holiday spirit in a virtual setting. Thanks to modern technology, we can play virtual Christmas games, sing carols, and enjoy the festive season as a team.

The challenges of remote work have sparked our creativity, inspiring us to find new ways to celebrate. This year, let's come together in the virtual world to create fresh traditions and make unforgettable memories. Distance can't dampen our holiday joy.

Ready to catch some holiday spirit? We've compiled a list of the best Christmas party ideas and virtual Christmas party games you can enjoy with your remote teams. Let's explore them in detail and make this holiday season special for your remote team.

15 Virtual Christmas Party Ideas to Try as a Remote Team

1. Gingerbread Wars: a Sweet Showdown

Picture this: You and your team, based across different locations, come together in Zoom for a festive celebration like no other. The highlight of the event is the "Gingerbread Wars," one of the most popular online Christmas games around. The event organizers will send all participants a gingerbread cookie kit with cookies and decorating supplies. These kits are all you need for an epic holiday showdown. With a team of world-class hosts to guide you, the event will feature a series of games —all centered around cookies. At the end of the event, you'll have the chance to become the Gingerbread Wars champion, making it a sweet victory indeed.

2. Guess the Gift: Unwrap the Mystery

One classic holiday tradition is the art of gift-giving. "Guess the Gift" is a fun game that perfectly captures the excitement of receiving and guessing presents. To play, break your team into small groups and send a private message to each group with a specific gift idea. The other players must then ask questions to guess what's in each group's gift. You can play this game like "20 Questions" or add suspense by limiting each group to ten questions. This game adds a layer of fun and intrigue to your virtual Christmas party.

3. Christmas Charades: Act Out a Christmas Story

Charades is a timeless game, and the holiday season offers a perfect backdrop for a fun twist. If you have a small group of 15 or fewer participants, divide your team into 3 or 4. The party host or leader can text the charade prompt to the player who will be acting it out. You can also use the Zoom spotlight feature to showcase the player performing the charade, allowing everyone to see the festive fun. Each player has a limited time (30, 45, or 60 seconds) to act out the clue, and team members can yell out their answers. Assign points for correct guesses, and continue playing until a specific score or everyone has a turn. It's a classic game with a holiday twist that keeps the laughter going.

4. Ultimate Holiday Game Show: Festive Competition

The "Ultimate Holiday Game Show" is ideal for teams looking to turn their virtual holiday party into a spirited and competitive event. Coworkers form groups and engage in classic game show challenges with a holiday theme for one and a half hours. It's a fantastic way to infuse your virtual party with energy and excitement, turning it into a memorable holiday competition.

5. Cheery Holiday Playlists: Music and Merriment

No Christmas party is complete without a festive playlist, so this is one of the best Zoom Christmas party ideas around. In December, the airwaves are filled with holiday songs that set the mood for the season. You can create a fun online virtual holiday party playlist and encourage your team to add their favorite tunes to play during a video call. Consider using platforms like Spotify or Apple Music for easy collaboration. You can enjoy the songs as background music or take the fun up a notch by engaging in holiday karaoke. With platforms like YouTube, you can stream lyric videos and sing along. Turn the songs into a game by playing "What's that song?" or stopping the song halfway and asking guests to sing the following line. The power of music can truly elevate your virtual Christmas party.

6. Seasonal Holiday Scavenger Hunt: a Virtual Adventure

A Christmas scavenger hunt offers a dynamic and energetic activity that can invigorate your virtual Christmas gathering. You can structure the holiday scavenger hunt in various ways. One option is a "lightning scavenger hunt," where participants race around their homes to gather items based on prompts from the host. The host can give players a specific time limit by displaying the list on the screen, and participants must find or stage the items accordingly. Call the players back to the main room when time is up to keep things exciting, and randomly select teams to compete in each category. Participants can share their photos on the screen or drop a file into the chat, and the highest score wins. Scavenger hunts and other Zoom Christmas party games bring action, laughter, and adventure to your virtual Christmas party, making it a memorable experience for all.

7. Write a Christmas Carol: Create Together

Is there anything more festive and collaborative than writing a Christmas carol together during your next Zoom Christmas party? This creative activity can infuse your virtual Christmas party with the spirit of the season. Collaborate with a professional musician to create a catchy and heartwarming Christmas song. You can perform this carol together during your virtual holiday parties and celebrations through singing or instrumental performances. It's a unique and fun way to bond with your team and create a lasting memory of your online holiday party.

8. Virtual Christmas Bingo: Timeless Tradition Goes Virtual

Bingo is a classic game that's as much a part of the holiday season as candy canes and snowflakes. Christmas Bingo is one of the most popular virtual Christmas games around. Make sure to send bingo cards to your participants by printing and mailing them with the party invitation or emailing a PDF of the cards. The host should use Zoom's spotlight feature to showcase the pulled bingo card square during the game. If you choose to incorporate a Spotify playlist, shuffle the list and play a song as part of the game. Players must mark their cards with tokens, such as pennies or Hershey kisses. Announce the songs in the play on Zoom in the chat box to keep everyone updated. The game continues until a participant yells or types "Bingo" in the chat box. You can play multiple rounds of Bingo, providing plenty of opportunities for different guests to win. Christmas Bingo is a timeless tradition that translates seamlessly into the virtual world.

9. Virtual Holiday Icebreakers: Forging Connections

One challenge of virtual Christmas parties is the limited opportunity for one-on-one conversations. Icebreakers can be a solution, helping participants get to know each other better. Divide your team into breakout rooms for different activities and interactions. Here are some holiday-themed icebreaker questions to spark conversations:

• What is the strangest Christmas present you ever received?
• If you could ask Santa one question, what would it be?
• When do you prefer opening your Christmas presents? Mornings? Evenings?
• What is your favorite meal to eat during the holidays?
• Do you watch a specific movie on Christmas?
• Does your family practice any unique Christmas traditions?
• What behavior might earn a lump of coal this year?
• What have you done this year to earn a spot on Santa's good list?

You can also designate separate breakout rooms for crafts and group activities, like singing a carol, making a holiday cocktail, or decorating gingerbread men. These interactions create connections and bring the warmth of the holiday season to your virtual party.

10. "Christmas in My Town" Icebreaker: Sharing Local Traditions

Your team members likely come from different regions, time zones, and possibly even different countries. "Christmas in My Town" is an icebreaker game that celebrates these unique backgrounds and helps colleagues get to know each other better. Each attendee shares special local Christmas events, foods, decorations, or activities from their hometown in this activity. Participants can even share pictures, adding a visual dimension to the conversation. This exercise brings your remote team closer and highlights the diversity of your workforce, both geographically and culturally.

11. Around the World Holiday Edition: a Virtual Global Adventure

While your team members are physically distant, you can still take them on a winter adventure around the world with the "Around the World Holiday Edition" game. Similar to the classic "Around the World," this holiday edition focuses on holiday traditions in different countries. Split your participants into smaller groups, allowing each member to be the team leader. This culturally diverse game is perfect for teams scattered across continents and time zones.

12. Holiday This Or That: a Fun Poll Game

"Holiday This or That" is a great game to get to know your coworkers better while engaging in a light-hearted poll game. You can allow everyone to unmute and share their answers or use letters, numbers, or emojis to assign each response. Ask your team questions like:

• White lights or colorful lights?
• Outside decorations or indoor-only?
• Real Christmas tree or a fake tree?
• Chocolate pie or apple pie?
• Turkey or ham?
• Snowfall or icicles?

This game encourages participation and sparks conversations about holiday preferences, creating a fun and lively atmosphere for a Zoom holiday party.

13. Never Have I Ever: Christmas Edition - Unveil Your Secrets

"Never Have I Ever: Christmas Edition" is a fun icebreaker game and one of the most popular choices for virtual happy hour holiday parties. It begins with each player holding up ten fingers. Participants take turns saying things that start with "Never Have I Ever." As others hear something they have done, they lower a finger. The game keeps going with prompts like:

• Never have I ever sung Christmas carols in public.
• Never have I ever written a letter to Santa Claus.
• Never have I ever eaten an entire gingerbread house.
• Never have I ever kissed someone under the mistletoe.
• Never have I ever opened a present early.
• Never have I ever fallen asleep before Santa Claus arrived.
• Never have I ever woken up on Christmas morning without a present under the tree.
• Never have I ever decorated a Christmas tree with popcorn and cranberries.
• Never have I ever gone to a Christmas Eve service.
• Never have I ever watched the entire movie "Elf."
• Never have I ever met Santa Claus in person.

The game can be playful or include more unusual holiday behaviors. It continues until only one player remains or after a set number of rounds, making it a lighthearted and interactive addition to your virtual Christmas party.

14. Christmas Trivia Games: Testing Holiday Knowledge

Christmas trivia games are a great and fun way to challenge your team's holiday knowledge, but how can you play them effectively in a virtual setting? You can add a theme, like Christmas movie trivia focusing on Christmas movies, or make it all about traditions. Here are some tips for an engaging and enjoyable virtual gifts trivia game:

Use Multiple Choice Questions

Multiple-choice trivia games allow participants to answer, even if they're unsure of the correct response. This keeps everyone involved and having fun.

Answer Cards

Have players create answer cards with options like A, B, C, and D. This makes it easy for participants to reveal their answers simultaneously.

Limit the Number of Questions

Keep your Christmas trivia game short, with around 8-10 questions. Virtual holiday trivia and games are most engaging when they maintain participants' attention and don't drag on. Short games help prevent distractions and keep everyone focused.

Interactive Hosting

The party host can read the question aloud, give participants a brief window to answer, and then ask them to reveal their answers. Correct answers earn points, and you can keep track of the scores throughout the game.

Variations for Large Groups

If you have a large group, consider an elimination-style trivia game. This format can quickly eliminate participants and keep the competition intense.

15. Christmas Crafts

This is one of the best Zoom Christmas games to play in a small team, and it helps your employees get started with their Christmas gifts! Send your team some craft materials and then make something together, e.g., a Santa hat, festive ornaments, angel tree topper, advent calendar, or centerpiece for your holiday table. You can swap Christmas stories or discuss holiday plans on your Zoom call while you work to keep the Christmas cheer going.

Conclusion

These fun ideas can help you and your team get in the holiday spirit before your next virtual Christmas party. A Zoom Christmas party can be as rewarding and fun as in-person Christmas Carols and games.

As December approaches, remember the importance of celebrating your achievements with your team and uniting as a work family. All it takes is a little creativity.

Enjoy getting in the Christmas spirit with your special seasonal Zoom party!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Virtual Christmas Parties?

Virtual Christmas parties are gatherings that take place online to celebrate the holiday season with friends, family, or colleagues when physical gatherings are not possible or convenient. These virtual parties aim to recreate the festive spirit of traditional in-person gatherings while utilizing technology to connect people remotely.

What Are Virtual Christmas Party Games?

Virtual Christmas party games are games and activities that participants can enjoy remotely through video calls or online platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Skype.