Last Minute Virtual Christmas Party Ideas for Work

Virtual Christmas parties will have their repeat this year. Though most countries have lifted travel restrictions, most employees are returning to their offices. Other companies implemented a hybrid work model setup. However, companies are still doubting whether to host Christmas parties face-to-face or online.

If you happen to be in a dilemma about what to do and how to plan your company’s last-minute office virtual Christmas party, we’ll share with you:

• virtual Christmas party ideas,
• how to organize an online Christmas party with gamification twists, 
• Best online games to play this holiday and
• FAQs

How to Plan Your Last-Minute Office Virtual Christmas Party

Organizing a last-minute Christmas Party can be nerve-wracking. You need to handle a lot of party details to ensure that everyone will have a great time once the party day arrives. It’s even more stressful if it will be your first time to organize it and many requests for a gamified virtual Christmas party. If you’re running out of great ideas to gamify your online office Christmas party, here are some ways that you can follow to smoothen the preparation.

Make sure to start at the END

How do you see the gamified Christmas party ends? Do you want it to be a simple social event with everyone having fun, or do you want some virtual team building and development along the way? Thinking about the result of your Christmas party is vital because it allows you to organize an event where everyone will benefit from it and that resources are put into good use. In most cases, businesses with several departments host a separate party for departments and company-wide celebrations.

Small groups or departmental parties often opt for a gamified Christmas party because it is easier to implement and manage the activities. Plus, it won’t take much time to organize because gamification often takes an hour or two to prepare.

Most gamification software like what Cluehub offers to most B2Bs and B2Cs doesn’t require hardcore coding and programming because anyone can customize the game according to their needs. Best of all, it works at any last-minute Christmas party because it all takes a few clicks, and your virtual party is on-the-go.

Set the DATE and TIME

Similar to the traditional Christmas Party, you need to plan for the date and time of the party. This is essential, especially in a Virtual Christmas Party because some of the team members are probably in different time zones. Make sure to pick a time that works for everyone. In addition, it doesn’t have to take the whole day to party. It can be an hour or a max of three hours with the activities and gift-giving included.

How will you HOST the event?

Since many of your colleagues may be working remotely or went back to their hometowns to spend the holidays with their families, you can host the event through various video conference platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts. If you are implementing gamification software to play mystery games, the same video conferencing platforms can be used for quick and clear communication.

Once you have chosen the platform, the party attendees must set up their access ahead of time. To ensure that everyone is ready, make sure to get everyone set up ahead of time to be part of the event with no hassle.

Always create a GOOD AGENDA

To compare, it is a lot easier to host face-to-face parties, for it is natural for people to stroll and mingle in the event as they please. In an office virtual Christmas party, everything is different. People join the party periodically, which is often distracting to the host and awkward for others. To avoid this, make sure to make an agenda that will organize everything that will happen during the event. This way, every attendee knows when to join, what will happen and what to expect during the fun event.

Don’t forget to SHARE the details

Make sure to send out calendar invites with all the essential details of the party, which include the following: date, time, log-in details, and party agenda. It can be shared in your chat groups or email. If you want to be creative with your party invitation, you can use innovative tools like Canva to make simple invitations that give off a holiday vibe.

Pick the PERFECT activities

Once all the plan logistics are in motion, it is time to think about the activities, party theme, and other fun things to be included in the event. Shortlist all your ideas and let your team or co-workers decide on the activities they will join and enjoy at the party. Likewise, it is best to identify how many will participate in the event to strategize what activities will suit the number of participants. You can pick which activities are meant to play individually, in pairs, or by the group.

If you opt to use gamified escape games, pairs and teams can play these games. For instance, Cluehub gamification software is playable by many teams composed of 5 to 6 members each. The game features puzzles, riddles, and a storyline that will surely hook players. It has impressive visuals which you can customize to include your company logo.

Whether planning a virtual Christmas party would be last minute or not, using tools to plan activities can help you be organizeand make planned activities more attainable.

Best Online Games to Play for Virtual Christmas Party

If you’re looking for the best online to play for your last-minute virtual Christmas party, here are some of the games designed by Cluehub that we highly recommend you to try. These are:

Mystery Puzzle Games – Sherlock Holmes

The newest game in their collection is Sherlock Holmes. It’s a ready-to-play mystery game with fantastic 3D graphics and a virtual room tour that gives you the vibes that you’re actually in the game’s location. It doesn’t require any coding or programming to set up or customize the game. Plus, you won’t need to install it on your computer because the game master will provide you with the website link to play it and the login details to participate.

The game is available in multiple languages and can accommodate several players for a minimum of 1-hour gameplay.

Secret Agent Games – Operation Mindfall

If your colleagues are into spy games and unlocking coded messages, Operation Mindfall is the best secret game to play. It’s a fun online escape game with customization solutions to suit your gaming needs. The game is immersive and experiential with its outstanding 3D graphics and room virtual tour in finding hidden clues. You can customize the difficulty of the game and the number of participants who will play it simultaneously. Best of all, you can put a touch on your company’s aesthetic to make it more personalized.

The game is also available in multiple languages, and people can play it remotely without installing the software. The game master will provide the website link as well as the login details.

FAQs

What are the requirements to run an online escape game?

Online escape games require a computer, an internet connection, and videoconferencing platforms for team communication. It doesn’t require many computer specs because the game itself is web-based. Meaning, the game master will provide the website link to open the game in your browser and login details to participate in the game. When it comes to communication, you can use any platform to connect with your teammates playing in the comforts of their home or a separate office.

Can I rebrand the game?

Absolutely! You can add your company logo to the game to make it look more institutional. You can ask the game master if you opt for a white-label option as it is made upon request.

Are the games customizable?

Yes. You can prolong the game time, add more puzzle games, adjust the difficulty and the number of participants you want to include in the game. It’s just a few clicks to customize the game. No need for programming skills.

Final Thoughts

Christmas parties allow people to socialize and have fun. Once in a while, it relieves employees from the stress of daily work, and it allows them to catch up with their colleagues. However, having last-minute Christmas parties is inevitable since most businesses are catching up on most of the things they missed due to frequent lockdowns. Whether virtual Christmas parties will become a thing in the coming years or not, organizing the last-minute party shouldn’t be daunting with ready-to-play online escape games.
Are you ready to spice up your corporate events with gamification? Contact our experts today for a quick demo.