15 Tips for a Successful Company Holiday Virtual Event

September 8, 2021
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At a loss for virtual team celebration ideas? Whether you are hosting a company holiday party for your team, best customers, partners, or suppliers, we’ve got you covered!

This is not the year to skip the celebration. Even small business owners and those who are working with condensed budgets should find ways to get together virtually—even if it is smaller than you had intended. After all, it’s been a hard year and the pandemic hasn’t let up even in light of the vaccines that are now available. Still, there is a lot to be thankful for and to celebrate, especially, if your company is still open and running. 

Whether you are brainstorming virtual company anniversary celebration ideas, virtual year end function ideas, or even virtual team building activities, the people who interact with your business in whatever capacity should be celebrated for their hard work and or dedication.    

15 Ideas For Virtual Company Events

1. Have A Grand Prize Drawing!

Even if you didn’t have a grand prize in mind for your in-person event, you should still consider having one for your virtual event. Not only will it give guests a reason to stay tuned in until you announce it, but you can also promote it on social media to give your company some extra marketing love too! And if you’ve created a hashtag for your event, don’t forget to use it and encourage posts and pics from your attendees. 


Shown: The North Face Backpack, Apple Watch, Ember Mug, K + M Chocolates


2. Promote your hashtag and share posts.

Once you decide to host a holiday party as a virtual event, you’ll want to spread the word. One of the ways you can do that is by creating an event group on Facebook to get the attendees pumped up. Follow up with a hashtag so attendees can share posts and photos with their family and friends.



3. Remind your audience why your company was founded and how you are still honoring those principles. 

What drives your company? What excites you about your product or service? Sure these are ideas for virtual company events but as your company is the host, it deserves a little kudos—along with the hard-working teams that make it happen. And by reminding your audience of your company’s why, you can continue building your brand and reinforcing your great company culture. 


4. Offer incentives for leaving reviews, being an ambassador, social sharing, etc.

Just as every email has a call to action, like learn more, watch this video, or everyone’s fave, shop now, you can offer incentives for your attendees to do the same. Just don’t wait until just before your event to stock up on your Company Holiday Virtual Event swag giveaways! You’ll want to order ahead of time so you get the best selection of customizable products. Plus, you won’t want to waste money having to rush your shipping to get your swag in on time.



5. Create a video or slide deck montage of prized moments over the years.

This is a great way to reinforce your company’s culture while also sharing the spotlight with your audience. From employee pictures to great milestones that your customers or partners helped you reach, this special look back is one of the covid friendly office party ideas you can continue to share in the new year.  



6. Feature drawings and raffles throughout the virtual event!

Whether you’re planning break-out sessions, guest speakers, product announcements, or more, featuring drawings between segments will keep your audience engaged, interactive, and their excitement level up!


Shown: JBL Wireless Headphones


7. Cast your vision for next year.

After you celebrate how far you’ve come and then kept the energy high with a great giveaway, it’s time to inspire your audience with a glimpse of the future. Where are you going? As you cast your vision for the future it’s important to make sure your goals align with your audience’s values. Your employees should feel proud to work for your company while your customers and partners should be excited to continue supporting you.



8. Share any sneak peeks on products or offerings for the next year!

Who doesn’t love being filled in on a big secret or the first to know about an exciting new product or service? This is a great way to engage your audience and help strengthen employee and customer loyalty. Just make sure it’s ok for your secret to get out. After all, dishing about how awesome all of the virtual holiday activities and announcements are half the fun!


9. Share a music playlist and fun food & drink recipes ahead of time.

What’s a great party without the perfect ambiance? Help your invitees set the mood and get in the party spirit! Whether you’re sending customized snacks ahead of time or just sharing fun, make-ahead recipes, this will help keep the excitement going strong. 

Shown: K + M Chocolate 


10. Offer virtual holiday activities and reward winning teams with cool swag!

What’s a party without some fun online games? When it comes to virtual team celebration ideas, incorporating games is a fun way to keep your attendees engaged. For the best swag, give the winning teams customized gifts with your company’s logo as a constant reminder of your virtual event. 


Shown: Native Union Wireless charger and Field Notes Notebook


11. Share testimonials so employees know why what they do is so important.

As you brainstorm through virtual year end function ideas, it’s important to remember that you’re also celebrating your company. Oftentimes, employees don’t know how they are making a difference in the lives of others. If you have reviews or testimonials, this is a great time to share them with your team and let them feel good about the work that they do as well.  



12. Start a new tradition. 

This could be anything, and the fun is being at your virtual event to hear the groundbreaking news. From announcing a company volunteer day for the next year where your employees can get paid as they are giving back to offering food trucks or free snacks, and more, your attendees will love being on the ground floor of a new tradition. Not to mention, they'll already be looking forward to next year’s celebration! 


13. Offer years of service awards and recognition. 

When it comes to thanking employees for a job well done, recognizing them in front of their peers will help them feel extra special. Plus with cool swag like these, your newbies will have something to look forward to in the years to come.   



14. Offer swag for everyone!

With all of the swag prizes, awards, giveaways, and incentives being handed out, you'll want to make sure no one at your party leaves empty-handed. Offering a goodie bag of sorts (branded with your logo of course!) to your attendees, is a great way to capitalize on your marketing power and is one of the most important virtual work party ideas we have. 


Shown: Corkcicle


15. Offer Swag Store merch so employees can purchase all the items they didn’t win!

Sure, everyone might be a winner, but not everyone can take home those amazing tech gifts, name-brand gear, or higher-priced items. So for those who didn’t win, why not let them shop your company’s own swag store for their favorites. Creating a swag store is easier than you think. Just talk to a rep a Gemnote to see how you can get started today. 



From customized totes, notebooks, apparel, drinkware, and more, Gemnote has all the best swag you need (many of which can be customized with engravings, screen printing, embroidery, embossing, and more!) to kick off your company holiday parties 2021 covid -free! 


Plus, there’s more virtual team celebration ideas christmas where this came from. Let the knowledgeable staff at Gemnote do all the heavy lifting. They can create a curated collection of holiday swag in your budget for your next event. From storage to fulfillment, your Gemnote rep will help you get off to a great, stress-free holiday season!

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