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!

@wannabebetter

Out of interest, how many of the naysayers go to the Christmas party on a 'normal' year? Surely if you hate socialising with your workmates that much you don't bother?

Real Christmas boozer - great fun.

Zoom party is utter shite. Make it 100% voluntary, outside work hours (just like a real party) and see how many people have something just "come up" and "oh how sad I can't make it happy Christmas byeeeee" END CALL

Ha ha brilliant 'livefornaps' connection issues! love the simplicity of that excuse!

@wannabebetter

Out of interest, how many of the naysayers go to the Christmas party on a 'normal' year? Surely if you hate socialising with your workmates that much you don't bother?

They're hardly comparable, though.

But since you ask, I hate real-life forced socialisation too. Just because I work with people doesn't mean I have to hang out with them in my free time

I'm quite happy to hang out with people I've made friends with through my job, but choosing to go for a drink with someone is very different to being forced into it.

Compulsory workplace "jollies" should be banned, especially when they try and make you go in your free time!

Have you got some budget? Send everyone a mini hamper or a box of snacks/drink . Do a secret Santa and open online together. Play some games. You can use the zoom room option to break out into smaller groups depending on what you do. Bingo would be easy or a race night thing (especially with prizes e.g emailed vouchers). Or you could try something active like a 'treasure' hunt. We're doing one with my team, I'm not organizing it but am looking forward to it, done with thought they work well.

We are also doing the Macmillan escape room that @Bellaphant linked to!
There’s 10 of us in the team so will have 2/3 per cell, raise a bit of money for Macmillan whilst we also have a bit of a laugh...what’s not to love?! I’m far happier having a zoom one than a RL one as they are always in London and I am in the NW!

I developed tinnitus in my left ear following an office party a few years ago as they hired a venue and booked a young DJ who was clearly clueless about safety levels of sound. Took me 18 months to cure it myself with nutritional protocols and I used that excuse to avoid subsequent parties. My hearing is more important and the high pitched sound was so annoying in bed at night but now all gone ;-D

Just give staff a day off instead so they can spend it with the people they actually like.

Some of us like and enjoy spending time with our work colleagues. Mindblowing as that may sound.

Bloody hell, people are miserable sods! I’m not normally one for forced fun but actually it’s quite important to have some time to come together and recognise people for getting through the horror of 2020, plus plenty of people are lonely and isolated and it’s nice for some people to have things to do. Our team have had entirely optional events this year, some during work time and others in the evenings, including online quizzes, a countdown game, cookie decorating competitions. Most people have attended all of them and the feedback has been great.

For Xmas we have one team doing a virtual escape room. As a wider business we are doing a virtual cocktail class and some presentations for an hour and then everyone has the rest of the day off.

Unfortunately last week, a staff member has asked if they can have one, as several others have mentioned it

The turd !

Lizzie sack them, you could've had yourself a nice quiet afternoon , now you're going to have to organise something ,

Having to keep a log of what's happening across my company options I've seen..:
Virtual escape rooms
Bingo
Quizzes
Cocktail tasting/chocolate tasting (kits sent to everyone at home with host)
Candle making at home

I quite like the work xmas party. It's nice to socialise outside of work. But on Zoom? God no. I find video calls so, so awkward, and I hate team building type activities and being put on the spot. At the beginning of lockdown, some of my friends did a 'virtual pub' type thing and that was cringey enough, even with a lot of booze and people I actually liked.

@jimmyhill

Geez just spare people the misery and give them two hours off instead.

This. A virtual office party sounds awful.

My boss has demanded that the Zoom party be in the evening so as not to interfere with work time. Fine but we’ve already spent about a thousand work hours trying to organise something that fits in with everyone’s restricted diet, restricted availability due to kids etc etc etc. I’m meant to be organising it and I don’t even know where we are with it. I think everybody is getting a bottle of gin and be done with it. Small saving grace is at least we all bloody drink!

We've been asked if we have any dietary requirements so assume we're getting some food chucked in too!! We love our work Christmas parties so am glad they are doing something

Just no. Who would actually want to do this?

@TheKeatingFive

Just give staff a day off instead so they can spend it with the people they actually like.

Some of us like and enjoy spending time with our work colleagues. Mindblowing as that may sound.

Then those staff can get together and have their own "zoom party".

No need to inflict it on everyone else.

We have to have to have one too, so I feel your pain. We are having a quiz and we have to have a Christmas jumper. I shall be on the "Mocktails" its the only way.

70isaLimitNotaTarget I’m not organising, the people who asked for it are. organising. They are young, and enthusiastic, unlike me

Karoke / open mic?
It would have to be optional else there would be resignations or tribunals! I bet you have some talented musicians in your team.

I would love to suggest a Christmas singalong but I guess the delay would make it a car crash.

For Xmas we have one team doing a virtual escape room.

Aaarrrgh 😱 those poor staff, in the morning we will remember them 😢

No need to inflict it on everyone else.

I doubt it’s compulsory

We are having a Zoom work party with an online entertainer! The mind boggles. Apparently he does mind reading, we'll all be sacked if the boss knows what we're thinking!!

I haven’t read the full thread, but how about this? gamesnight.macmillan.org.uk/

@TheKeatingFive

No need to inflict it on everyone else.

I doubt it’s compulsory

If it's in work time it will be