If you are under stay at home orders or your city is in lockdown, that does not mean that holiday parties are totally canceled in 2020. You can still celebrate with your friends and loved ones- albeit virtually. With technology, it is now possible to video conference with several people so you can still feel connected even if you’re celebrating in the comforts of your own home. You can use apps like Zoom, Facebook Messenger, Google Meet, and more.
But how do you effectively organize a virtual holiday party that can still be fun even without alcohol? If you are in recovery, this could be something that you’re struggling with. To help you out in your party-planning tasks, we’ve listed down some tips that can make your virtual holiday event a roaring success.
Have a theme
Having a theme is a great way to add a festive touch to social events and gatherings. In previous years, having holiday decorations relevant to the theme is usually the norm. With virtual parties, however, decorating every single house can be costly and even impractical.
The good news is that video conferencing apps like Zoom have virtual background features that you can change. You can customize the background by creating your own graphic and sending it to the attendees in advance. You can have virtual background themes like Winter Wonderland, Tropical Christmas, Christmas Fiesta, etc.
Aside from changing the virtual background, you can also level up the theme by coordinating your outfits. You can have a Christmas pajama party, have a red and green color dress code, put on Santa hats, or even dress up favorite Christmas characters.
Send a party agenda beforehand
For many people, this will be the first time they are attending a virtual party so it’s good to give them an idea of what you’re planning to do. Have a general agenda of the activities with an approximate time so the guests will know what to expect. They will also be more participative if they know what’s going to happen.
For example, if you plan to have the virtual party for two hours, have a schedule of what’s going to take place during the two-hour video call. Allow enough time for the activities you’re planning to have and make sure that you can be flexible in case some activities run longer or shorter. A good tip is to have extra activities in case there’s extra time and also being ready to drop some activities if time is running out.
Designate a host
The challenge with virtual events is that there is a tendency for people to speak on top of one another. While this is often unavoidable, you can minimize the chaos by designating a host. The host will be assigned to guide the flow of the event and make sure that everyone has a chance to participate and speak.
Include games with prizes
Make the virtual party exciting by including games and giving away prizes. Don’t make the games too long or complicated. Simple games like Bingo, “bring me” game, trivia, and prize raffles where the guests don’t need to think too much about the mechanics are recommended.
If you have the budget, having prizes is always a hit during parties. These prizes do not need to be expensive. You can choose items that are still nice and useful without shelling out a lot of money. With virtual parties, you don’t need to buy the items right away. You can show a photo of the item first during the game, then when the winner is determined, you can order it online and ship it directly to the winner.
Send a mocktail kit
There are now mocktail kits (non-alcoholic mixed drinks) that you can order online. You can all agree to order the same mocktail kit so you can make the drink together. Choose a mocktail that you’ve all never tried before and make it at the same time.
Add in some song and dance
Virtual karaoke? Yes, please! This can be a fun and interactive activity for virtual parties. It’s very easy to find karaoke videos on YouTube that you can all sing along with. If you’re more into dancing, you can also have TikTok dance challenges and award a prize to the best dancer.
Have a gratitude minute
One thing that would be a nice touch at the beginning or end of the virtual party is to have a gratitude minute. Give each attendee 60 seconds to talk about what they are thankful for this year. Having this moment can put some positivity to the event.
If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, help is available.
Contact Morningside Recovery by Lighthouse today.
