That a work Zoom Christmas party is a really hard thing to organise!

[Laarkawaay]

It is 2 hrs during the day, so I can't fall back on a booze theme. Team of 15 and, yes I can do a quiz, but we can we do a quiz for 2 hours?! AIBU that this is a pretty hard ask? What's everyone else doing for their virual Christmas parties - though I'm not even calling it that as I'm worried it will be even shitter if I do!

Take a vote on whether anybody actually wants it. They won't. Somebody needs to speak out against this torture.

Kitchen disco 😱😱

Sounds awful. But...

Themed scavenger hunt - 1 min each to find something round the house that fits the category

Cocktail making session or no-cook snack assembly. You have to supply the ingredients though

Craft activity eg decorate a loo roll angel. Make sure everyone has required materials

Pet fashion parade for any pets willing/able to be caught

Quiz

Rock Paper Scissors competition

Put everyone into zoom breakout sessions and have them write some work-themed lyrics to a well known carol

People - it is happening. It's ideas I need this is making it worse (if that was possible!)

HeyMicky - thank you!

@Laarkawaay can you clarify is this your company and you have decided to have zoom party , or have you been tasked with organising it?

It sounds thoroughly painful! I agree I’d MUCH rather 2 hours off than forced jollity with colleagues. I’d even rather just working for those two hours.

To make it slightly less painful don’t make people turn their cameras on.

If you’re the boss, just give people 2 hours of. If you’re not the boss just designated organiser, ask people want they want to do in the time.

Ok - IF people want to do it and you’ve got the sort of group who would enjoy it, how about asking each person for a “party piece”; a poem, joke, magic trick or even a recipe demo etc. Optional for those who hate such things. Can be silly or taken seriously. People who aren’t into it can opt out or just tell a quick Christmas cracker joke. People who enjoy it (and there will be some) will have time to work on their “bit” and get attention in the meantime. Plus it passes the time nicely.

Also: stand up bingo could work over Zoom.

Have you got any budget to spend? A friend has a science kit company for kids which is doing adult kits for work parties, might be fun? curiosity-box.net/shop/einsteins-elf/

We’re doing similar (although only an hour) because as a team we want to, shock horror we actually get on really well together and the general feeling is that we’ve missed seeing each other’s faces since March.
Ours is over lunch so we’re doing bring your own buffet, alcoholic drinks are ok, festive jumper if you wish and we are essentially having our lunch together. Quick quiz or maybe festive bingo.
Good luck, stuff like this works really well with my team but worst case scenario it’s an hour off doing any actual work and no one is going to complain about that!

We're doing this. Work are sending us some cocktails and we're playing a couple of games.

Usually I would be the same as some of you and think no chance but I know the manager organising it has gone to a lot of trouble, so I will down my cocktails and wear my Xmas jumper and bear the cringe fest.

www.marieclaire.com/home/a32268495/games-to-play-on-zoom/

www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/g32098665/best-games-to-play-on-zoom/

Have fun!

We are having one and I am quite happy with it, it’s something just a little bit different. Ideas floated so far:
Lockdown awards - take any suggested categories
Match the person to the party - everyone tells you their top choice drink and meal and that’s part of your quiz.
Virtual secret Santa- either actually post something or you submit the ideal gift for your recipient and people have to guess who the recipient is?
Cocktail making - if you have a budget you could send some ingredients

I'm not sure I can think of anything worse. Can you not just give them all a bottle of wine and 2hrs off? My company always has a Christmas party which is well attended due to the food and free booze but luckily are giving everyone a Christmas treat instead. I don't care what it is as long as I don't have to go to a virtual party. Zoom quizzes etc. are hard enough among actual friends. If you must do this no cameras and a chat would be tolerable but hard with 15 participants.

If you're so sure that everyone wants to do it (they really dont though) then I would ask them for suggestions.

We are having a Christmas hat and jumper competition, funny awards ceremony, a christmas quiz... but you could maybe do charades or an online game like scattegories.

I'm having to arrange this...for 120 people
Sending everyone a box with wine and snacks.
Each team presenting two awards - one serious, one funny
Doing a very quick quiz (on menti so no having to tot up scores)
I need to try and get video interviews with each of the department heads, f knows how I'm going to do that.
Only going to be an hour so hoping it will fly by.

We had a company online games night the other week, chatting on Zoom and playing Among Us. It was surprisingly good fun...

Ha ha we have done a few zoom sessions outside work times to catch up and had a quiz and a bingo session both were great. Could you wrangle half a day or a couple of hours off for the winner that will get people engaged.

We are doing 45 mins. We will have a quiz and a couple of games. That is plenty . We have had some nice social meets but they have all been 30-40 min long. That is about the right amount of time

Can't it be the last two hours of work then you can have a few drinks?

I saw an advert for a Zoom office Christmas party and I thought it looked f*clung awful, I'd definitely have an internet failure for that.

Fucking hell, it sounds like torture, what is the point!
I'm just glad to escape the office party this year, no fucking way am I doing it virtually and I really hope nobody suggests it!

@katy1213

Take a vote on whether anybody actually wants it. They won't. Somebody needs to speak out against this torture.

I would want it I think. Wfh is so lonely :(

We are also quizzing, 120 people. You need a music round, we are using some from popbitch. Also a round to do with our industry (books in our case).