15 Virtual Holiday Party Ideas Your Remote Team Will Love

Virtual holiday party ideas have one job: make the person at a kitchen table feel like part of the team. SHRM says it plainly about remote staff.

“They shouldn’t feel isolated or alone during what is touted as the happiest time of the year.” (SHRM)

Below are 15 remote holiday party ideas for the stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. Seven are free to run yourself. Eight are bookable with a host. This post covers only the party when your people are remote. For office events, see our holiday party ideas for work. For year-round sessions, try our virtual team building activities.

What are the best virtual holiday party ideas?

1. Escape From The Meeting (virtual, works anywhere)

Escape From The Meeting is a 60-minute virtual escape game. Coworkers solve clues over chat to find five excuses to leave a hilariously bad meeting.

• How it works: A host guides the game. There are no cameras, awkward icebreakers or forced introductions.
• Good for: Shy teams and anyone tired of video calls.
• Fit: Distributed teams, 60 minutes.

2. Virtual white elephant gift swap (free DIY)

Of the free virtual holiday party ideas, this one is the classic. Everyone buys a small gift and ships it, or sends a digital gift card. The group steals and swaps on video.

• How it works: Number the players. Each one picks or steals a gift, and a gift can be stolen twice.
• Good for: Teams that already love a gift exchange.
• Fit: 8 to 40 people, 45 minutes. Set a $25 cap.

3. Virtual wine or cocktail tasting with couch + cork (virtual, works anywhere)

couch + cork runs interactive virtual tastings. A wine educator hosts a live wine tasting, with wine shipped to guests. A certified educator also leads a live cocktail class.

• How it works: Guests join live and taste along. The company plans and runs the event for you.
• Good for: Teams that want a shared toast without a meeting feel.
• Fit: Planned and hosted for you.

4. Holiday trivia (free DIY)

Write 20 questions on holiday films, songs, food and your own company history. Put people in breakout rooms of four.

• How it works: Teams answer in chat. Read the answers aloud and keep score on a shared screen.
• Good for: Mixed teams, since anyone can guess.
• Fit: 10 to 60 people, 30 to 45 minutes.

5. A live city tour with Discover Live (virtual, works anywhere)

Discover Live streams live tours with a local guide who walks the streets on camera and takes questions. The listing says the tours are not recorded video. Teams can pick from 200+ destinations.

• How it works: Everyone joins from any device. Closed captioning and major language translation are available.
• Good for: Global teams with a mix of holidays and cultures.
• Fit: Up to 2 hours. You set the length.

6. Ugly sweater and background contest (free DIY)

Ask people to wear their worst sweater or pick a festive video background. Vote in chat for the winners.

• How it works: Set categories such as “most tinsel” and “best pet cameo”. Give out silly titles.
• Good for: Low-effort fun in big groups.
• Fit: Any size, 15 minutes as an opener.

7. Write a team song with Create Your Team Theme Song (US, virtual available)

Create Your Team Theme Song puts an award-winning songwriter in front of your team. You write original lyrics and leave with a recording.

• How it works: The songwriter guides you step by step. No musical experience is needed.
• Good for: A year-end moment people can replay in January.
• Fit: 13 to 30 people, up to 2 hours.

8. Cookie or recipe swap (free DIY)

Each person bakes a family favorite or shares a recipe. Mail a few cookies if the budget allows.

• How it works: Everyone holds up their dish on camera and tells its story. Collect recipes in a shared doc.
• Good for: Teams that like personal stories.
• Fit: 6 to 25 people, 30 minutes.

9. Paint along with ArtWorx Events (New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, US; virtual)

ArtWorx Events offers a virtual paint session: the same paint-along on Zoom for remote teams, led live by an instructor.

• How it works: The instructor leads each step. The listing says no art experience is needed.
• Good for: Teams that want a calm, creative hour.
• Fit: 13 to 60 people, up to 2 hours.

10. Team awards ceremony (free DIY)

Collect nominations in advance for funny and sincere awards. A manager reads them out on the call.

• How it works: Use categories such as “best Slack reply” or “rescued a deadline”. Give every person one award.
• Good for: Recognition without a budget.
• Fit: 10 to 100 people, 20 to 30 minutes.

11. Craft kits with Eden Fay (UK-based, virtual)

Eden Fay offers craft kits plus an online session to bring remote teams together for a relaxed festive celebration.

• How it works: Kits arrive first, then the group joins an online session. The focus is on slowing down, not on how the piece looks.
• Good for: Teams that need a break from screens and stress.
• Fit: 13 to 30 people, up to 2 hours.

12. Traditions show and tell (free DIY)

Ask each person to share one ornament, dish or tradition from home. Give each person two minutes.

• How it works: Use a short round of turns. Anyone can pass.
• Good for: Global teams with many traditions.
• Fit: 6 to 20 people, 30 minutes.

13. Virtual murder mystery with Moonstone Murders (UK-based, virtual)

Moonstone Murders runs a Virtual Murder Mystery. An Inspector presents four suspects on video and your team questions them to find the guilty party.

• How it works: Professional improvisers play the suspects. The game works for groups from 8 up to 120.
• Good for: Teams who don’t know each other well.
• Fit: Up to 2 hours.

14. Shared playlist and karaoke hour (free DIY)

Everyone adds three songs to a shared playlist. Then people take turns singing along, or just voting on the worst entry.

• How it works: Share the playlist a week early. Mute by default and unmute for the chorus.
• Good for: Lively teams who like music.
• Fit: 10 to 50 people, 30 minutes.

15. A year-end reflection session with human room (US, virtual)

human room runs a virtual team session: a facilitated conversation for remote and hybrid teams, built around your goals. It uses structured, safe conversations, not games.

• How it works: A facilitator guides the talk and reflection. Everyone can take part.
• Good for: Stretched teams who want a calmer end to the year.
• Fit: Up to 2 hours.

Our top three picks

Of all these virtual holiday party ideas, three stand out.

• Best bookable: Escape From The Meeting. It needs no cameras and keeps the hour light.
• Best for a toast: couch + cork, with wine shipped to guests.
• Best free option: The white elephant swap. It costs almost nothing.

How do you make virtual holiday party ideas feel like a party?

A call can feel flat. A few small choices fix that.

Send kits early. If an idea needs a box, post it so it arrives days before the event. Add a note on when to open it. Check delivery dates for each home address.

Respect time zones. Pick one hour that works for most people and record the session. Anyone who can’t join live can still add a photo or a vote.

Make cameras optional. Some people feel shy on screen or sit in a busy house. Offer chat and polls as other ways to join.

Offer alcohol-free choices. Send a hot chocolate kit or a mocktail recipe next to any wine. Nobody should feel odd for skipping a glass.

Keep it under 90 minutes. People have a long day behind them. A tight hour that ends while it’s fun beats a long one that drags.

If your team has a few people near each other, pair the call with a local meet-up. Our city guides for New York and San Francisco can help. For more unusual formats, browse the Something Different directory or the Connection and Conversation section.

How long should virtual holiday party ideas run?

Aim for 60 to 90 minutes. Anything shorter feels rushed. Anything longer asks people to stay on a call after a full workday. Plan one main activity and one short warm-up.

How much do virtual holiday party ideas cost?

They can cost nothing. Trivia, an awards ceremony and a playlist hour are free. Bookable sessions vary, so ask each host for a quote that fits your group size. A small gift swap cap, such as $25, keeps costs fair.

When should you hold a virtual holiday party?

Many teams pick a weekday in early or mid December, before PTO starts. Send the invite a few weeks ahead. Hold it during work hours, so nobody gives up family time. Weekday slots suit most remote holiday party ideas.

Can you run one of these ideas for a hybrid team?

Yes. Most virtual holiday party ideas work for mixed groups if everyone joins from their own screen. That includes the people in the office. Put each coworker on their own laptop so remote staff aren’t a small square in a big room.

The best virtual holiday party ideas are simple

Pick one activity, keep it short, and send any kits early. Add one free DIY idea if your budget is tight. Good virtual holiday party ideas don’t need to be grand, just warm, easy to join and over before people tire.

Photos supplied by Create Your Team Theme Song (top), Escape From The Meeting and couch + cork.