Christmas will certainly look a lot different this year, but that’s no reason to cancel the festivities. Whether you’re avoiding traveling this season or doing your part to social distance, virtual Christmas parties are the perfect way to stay connected while apart.
No more worrying about bad weather or who’s going to drive home. All you need to do is plan your Christmas look from the waist up. From family-friendly activities to Friendsmas, read ahead for our best virtual Christmas party ideas for any age and the Christmas invitations to match.
How do you throw a virtual Christmas party?
Virtual Christmas parties should require the same amount of planning as in-person holidays. Taking the time to incorporate special details and plan activities will go a long way to make your party one to remember. (Even if your guests would rather forget 2020.) For a primer on how to host an online party check out our guide.
Send invitations in time: Send Christmas invitations out at least three weeks before the party to make sure no one on your guest list gets double booked. Festive workshops are great for lazy Sundays, but plan boozy virtual parties for Friday or Saturday night to give guests time to recover.
Share your virtual link: Once you’ve picked out your invitations on Paperless Post, then you can easily add a Zoom link to any design. Select “virtual location” to share all the details.
Make it feel special: Just like virtual office holiday parties should feel more special than a typical meeting, you can (and should!) make your virtual Christmas party feel just as festive as an in-person bash.
How to make a virtual Christmas party fun
By now, most people are no stranger to the online party. They might even be invited to several this holiday season. To avoid Zoom fatigue and make your invite stand out from the crowd, make sure your party has these virtual Christmas party essentials:
A strong theme: Any Christmas party feels more special and intentional with a name. Think “Snowballs and Highballs” for cocktail parties. “Quaran-team Dinner” for virtual potlucks. Or “Dreaming of a Wine Christmas” for a virtual wine and cheese tasting.
Backgrounds to match: Use your theme to set festive Zoom backgrounds. Think falling snow, scenes from your favorite Christmas movie, or the North Pole.
An activity: Let guests know what they’ll be doing and how they should prepare. Even if you’re hosting a virtual Christmas happy hour, find creative ways to get guests to participate. Have guests craft their own cocktail before the party or pick out Christmas-themed beers to sample.
A gift or party favor: Sending supplies to your virtual guests in advance is an easy way to get everyone excited for the party, and can help make you feel closer, even when apart. For virtual ugly Christmas sweater parties, send a tacky cup or wine glass. For cocktail parties, send seasonal mixers or bitters. If you’re hosting a class or workshop, send the basic supplies everyone will need.
A dress code: Costumes can help keep things fun and light. Give everyone a reason to dress up, whether it’s ugly Christmas sweaters or winter furs and dramatic velvet.
Virtual Christmas cocktail party ideas
Cheers to the holiday season with a virtual cocktail party. Consider this an excuse to flex those mixology skills you’ve been perfecting during quarantine, or hire a pro to lead your group and learn a new skill.
Try your hand at holiday cocktails with a virtual class from Liquid Lab. Liquid Lab has adapted its popular mixology classes to a virtual platform that’s still fun, hands on, and interactive—perfect for date night, Friendsmas, or a kids-free family get-together. Within 24 hours of your class you’ll receive a simple list of ingredients to pick up along with bar equipment recommendations you can find around your home. Their upcoming schedule includes classes like Happy Holiday Cocktails and Holiday Champagne Cocktails. Visit their online schedule for the most up-to-date list of upcoming classes.
Or take a class with celebrated mixologist Alba Huerta who’s hosting “Beverage Academy” all season long in partnership with Williams Sonoma. Classes like “Better with Bubbles: Spritzes and Champagne Cocktails” are $20 and you can see the full schedule of events here. Read About Pokemon Unite.
