Craving Human Connection? Have a Virtual Holiday Party

All the experts agree that you should provide guests with instructions on the use of the platform as part of the invitation to make it easier for them to connect. Send some reminders to get and keep people excited to be part of “the event” – Hype it up! You might even send virtual introductions to your guests via email a couple days ahead of time.

Here are some ideas for how to personalize your virtual parties and make them more fun for everyone.

1. Keep it Small: All the experts and articles I read suggest keeping the group to about 10 people which makes sense as most productive in-person “group sessions” seem to work best about that number. This gives everyone a chance to speak and be heard without stepping on other’s voices.

2. Use Breakout Rooms if you go big: If you want to have more than 10 people you can, but use the breakout room function to allow attendees to create their own breakout room for more intimate or private conversations. Just ask guests to keep their time in the room to no more than 10 minutes.

3. Mix and Match Groups: You can be more traditional by inviting all people who are socially related. OR mix it up and invite 1 person or a couple from each of your different family, friend, and business groupings. Bringing different people together can ignite new friendships, exciting networking opportunities, and a chance for you to learn something new about the folks at the party.

4. Create a theme: Not necessarily a kitschy theme; but a themed cocktail or desert for all to share. Make it more personal by sending everyone your favorite holiday or family desert recipe for all to make and enjoy together. Or maybe you can ask everyone to come prepared to have the same specialty cocktail. Ask all to wear their tackiest holiday sweater. If you can afford it, send the guests a small care package of a food or drink item as a “host gift.”

5. Prepare some conversation starters: To get conversation started and going down paths to new information and deepening relationships, ask everyone to share the answer to a question or two. Make the question(s) fun and light to keep the mood jovial. For example:

a. What is your family’s favorite holiday tradition?

b. Does your family have a particular meal or dish made just at this holiday season?

c. What is the root of your family tradition?

d. Is there an embarrassing moment from a holiday celebration you can share?

e. What was the craziest gift you or someone you know has received?

f. What is an interesting or fruitful way you’re using your time now?

g. How have you adapted to working and living while social distancing?

h. What’s something unexpected you’ve learned or done in the past year?

6. Get in the party mood: Just as you would be getting excited for the start of an in-person party which ups your adrenaline and your mood, you should do things for the same effect before this party. Spend 15-30 minutes or so BEFORE the party listening to your favorite party music, get dressed up as you would for in-person parties.

7. Stagger the start times: One expert suggested this because people do not all arrive to a party at the same time. By staggering guests’ arrival, it gives you a couple minutes of focused time with each guest as they arrive and makes it easier to introduce people to those they do not know.

8. Another use of breakout rooms: Spend some time in a larger group chat. Then break into smaller groups for a period of time (say 10-15 mins), then come back to the larger group. Maybe even do it a couple times during the party.

9. Private Chats: Remind attendees they can still have private chat conversations in the chat box if they want to get caddy or set a time for a one-on-one networking session.

10. Time Limited: Keep it to 60-90 minutes. Unlike an in-person party, staring at a screen for long periods can just be difficult. So, know when to let the conversation fade and allow people an out. But, if it is going well and people want to continue, let it go a bit longer.

On a personal note, two groups of my friends have standing monthly virtual gatherings where we all eat dinner together and chat via Zoom. One group (just 9 of us) has a free flowing “BS” session for 2 hours filled with laughter reminiscing and sharing life’s events of the past month. The other, a larger group of 30 people, has a more structured time where everyone gets 2-3 minutes to share updates on their lives with the others asking questions and acknowledging the events with quick quips of their related experiences. Each group has its own personality, and I find each one rewarding and a great way to keep connected with the people important to my life’s journey.

Just because we are more confined to our home, does not mean we need to give up the fun and parties of the holiday season. This is a great time of year to network, renew relationships, build new ones, and just make merry. As the saying goes, let’s make some lemonade out of the lemons we are living through.