Office xmas party ideas (COVID edition)

[Firstimer703]

I've been thinking about how I can provide a Christmas celebration with my team when it's likely we won't be able to meet in person.

My strong belief is that the xmas party provides an opportunity to celebrate the contribution and achievements of the team and is an important morale booster.

This year it seems more important than ever but almost impossible to deliver! As such, I thought an ideas thread could be a fun idea.

Here are a few to kick off:

1. murder mystery game
2. zoom karaoke
3. silent disco (everyone has own music)
4. office zoom panto
5. xmas awards

Any others? Let's be creative!

I have to say I'm surprised and disappointed by how negative this thread is. I'd been hoping for some positivity but not much to be found here! Thanks to those who have shared their own ideas and experiences. I'm glad I work with people who like each other!

I think its the fact its an evening thing that is going to be in own home and on the pc..
I'm spending most if the day on the pc and in zoom calls/meetings I really don't want to do more of an evening.. and also means rearranging my house so don't interrupt the rest of the family....

Can you do a lunch thing or give people some time instead ? We did an afternoon tea/ quiz which whilst not massively exciting was nice just to sit n chat about not work!.

I agree that this things aren't up my street but can appreciate that they may be for some people. I also to be honest wouldn't be keen on spending an evening on another zoom meeting with colleagues after work all day. I think it's worth being mindful, as this thread shows, that for a lot of people socialising with work colleagues over spending time with loved ones isn't popular, so you are likely to get a warmer reception generally if you give employees a couple of hours off in their normal working hours to do something together, rather than expect people to engage in something in their own time.

How geographically spread out are you? I'm just wondering if you are all relatively close together you could find a company that do afternoon tea deliveries to deliver an afternoon tea to everyone's houses one morning and you all enjoy afternoon tea together for an hour or something in the afternoon? There's usually companies that will do a festive version with turkey sandwiches, mince pies etc.