Normally, at this time of year, we spend hours with our colleagues having a christmas get together and it can be very difficult to get together when we’re all located remotely/in lockdown. During December, I’ve been capturing what I’ve seen friends doing with their work to celebrate the festive period. There has definitely be a great deal of innovation coming from some of the celebrations and it’s great to see so many companies going international with their offerings/ ideas.

Wine Tasting:

This has been really popular! A box will be delivered to your house with a selection of wines to try and you can try different versions and share your thoughts. This one has been adapted to include things like Cheese, truffels, chocolates etc. Apart from the headache that is seen the next day, this one seems to work best in teams under 10 people.

Rating: 8/10

Cocktail making:

Similar to the wine tasting, you receive a box of ingredients and utencils and you’re led virtually through a cocktail making class by a bartender. This one is definitely more creative and requires a bit more skill!

Rating: 8/10

Virtual Pub Quiz:

This has to be one of the most popular ones. No alcohol needed but you join teams and have a quiz based on general knowledge/ specific topics. There is the option to win prizes but it’s a great teambuilding activity. There are organisations out there offering the entire platform, or you can do this yourself using a standard video platform.

Rating: 6/10

Art Class:

A rare one that I’ve seen this year but I love the creativity! Everyone was sent materials upfront and given an art class over a specific image/method. You could then paint/draw along and have a great piece of art at the end. This seems to work better in small teams and you need to make sure that you have the right teacher showing you what needs to happen/ what’s important.

Rating: 5/10.

Secret Santa:

This is a long standing favourite way within teams to celebrate. We used Elfster to set everything up and then opened everything during a online conference together. It was a really nice way to celebrate the festive period and bring joy and a personalised gift to colleagues. I received a really lovely pair of homemade mittens and some delicious dark chocolate. In another secret Santa with some peers, I received a lovely collection of chocolate and wine (they know me well!).

Rating: 9/10

Christmas Box:

This is very popular in the Netherlands. Typically at Christmas, you are given a box of goodies and a rhyming note to accompany it. This is the one that I received from my work. As you can see, there really is something for everyone in there!

Conclusion:

I’ve found this year has been a great year to try new and different things than the established norms of dinner/drinks. It’s been really nice to see so many companies willing to invest and go the extra mile to support their colleagues when they may be isolated/alone.

What are you doing to celebrate the festive period in your teams/organisation?