Virtual Holiday Party Ideas: Fun Christmas Games for Teams
Rediscover togetherness through celebrations uniquely yours by decking the virtual halls with boughs of folly and hosting online festivities filled with laughter, cheer, and holiday hijinks galore!
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Virtual holiday party ideas that work in 2026 include holiday bingo, trivia, an ugly sweater contest, gingerbread decorating, a cookie exchange and a white elephant swap that remote teams can join from anywhere.
The holidays are usually filled with festive in-person gatherings to spread cheer and connect with loved ones. But hybrid work has changed things, and you’ll want an inclusive event that brings far-flung colleagues together.
Below you’ll find advice on platforms, invites and care packages, plus 16 activities that spark unlikely coworker connections.
Getting started
Virtual parties let you host interactive games, share music and laughs, and spread seasonal cheer across any distance.
Choose an engaging platform
The key to any successful virtual event is how you use the online meeting platform. Go beyond basic video chatting and use its live polls, quizzes, group games and breakout rooms so guests can mingle in smaller groups.
Plan your rooms as well as your games. You’ll want a main stage, a few themed tables, and a minute or two of extra time on every breakout while people find their way in.
Get festive with themes and decor
Virtual holiday bashes let you decorate each video frame. So send your invitees a few backgrounds to pick from: a snowy landscape with holiday lights, a family room with a lit tree, or a fireside with stockings and hot cocoa.
Props help guests show their silly sides too. Include printable Santa hats, elf ears and ugly sweater cutouts.
You can ease the first awkward minutes with fun icebreakers. Have everyone give their name with an alliterative holiday adjective (Jolly Jane, Charming Chris), share one holiday wish, or play a seasonal Two Truths and a Lie.
2. Holiday bingo
Fill your cards with traditions like lit the menorah, made gingerbread cookies and watched Home Alone. Players hum a verse of “Deck the Halls” or hold up a photo as proof when you call their square.
3. Remote holiday talent show
You’d be amazed how many singers, dancers and musicians are on your team, so give them a festive stage. Offer awards like “Silliest Skit” and “Best Holiday Spirit” and schedule a second showing for other time zones.
4. DIY gingerbread house decorating contest
Mail your house kits and candy beforehand so everyone starts on equal footing. Leave 10 to 15 minutes at the start to unpack and set up, then let teams vote on “Most Traditional,” “Most Outrageous” and “Best Overall.”
5. Holiday trivia battle
Split your company into virtual teams with holiday-themed names and pull questions from Christmas movies, carols and customs. Award bonus points for singing a line of a Christmas song, and give the winners bragging rights or gift cards.
6. Ugly holiday sweater contest
Ask everyone to dig out their tackiest knit and upload a photo before the party. That way guests who’d rather keep cameras off can still win “Most Blinding Lights.”
7. Virtual cookie exchange
Draw names, then have each volunteer bake and mail a batch of cookies to a teammate. At the party, people share the stories behind their family recipes.
8. Themed dress-up days
Share a calendar of dress-up days in the invite, from red and green day to reindeer antlers day.
9. Holiday memory share
Ask each attendee for a two-to-three-minute story about a favorite holiday memory. Say up front that anyone can pass, and that it’s normal.
10. Virtual holiday concert
Let your musical colleagues perform holiday covers while the rest of the group votes. And your leaders can play “judges” if you want to mimic “The Voice.”
11. White elephant exchange
Each person wraps something silly they’ve got lying around to regift. Draw numbers for the pick order, and let players unwrap a new present or steal an opened one.
12. Interactive holiday show
Have your volunteers from different departments film a goofy dance, a song parody or a roast. Edit the clips into a short pre-recorded variety show and premiere it at the party.
13. Themed photo booth
Offer holiday frames, props and backgrounds, from a virtual fireplace with stockings to a North Pole workshop. Then share your best snapshots on a company page.
14. Holiday karaoke challenge
Draw names to assign festive hits like “Jingle Bell Rock” for people to sing sincerely or comically. Judges score effort, creative flair and crowd appeal.
15. Virtual holiday tastings
Ship minis of seasonal drinks like Belgian abbey ales or eggnog, so everyone opens them at once. Don’t forget to remind guests to drink responsibly.
16. Wrap battle
Guests decorate wrapped faux presents with whatever craft supplies they have, from bows to glitter glue. Everyone votes on categories like “Most Glamorous” and “Funniest Fail.”
How to choose the right virtual holiday party ideas
Idea
Best fit
Tradeoff
Bingo or trivia
Large teams and mixed time zones
Little personal conversation
Memory share or cookie exchange
Small teams that want to bond
Needs a host guide and time
Gingerbread or wrap battle
Hands-on groups
Kits must ship weeks ahead
Talent show or karaoke
Teams with a few performers
Quiet guests may only watch
White elephant
Light, low-prep fun
Gifts need mailing for a full swap
For a full party, pair one game with one bonding activity and one moment that exists only for fun.
How to plan a virtual holiday party
Planning a virtual holiday party takes more coordination than an in-person event, so start early and keep it simple.
Send festive invites: Add holiday colors, a playlist or a short video, and say which games are planned.
Mail party packs: Bingo cards, craft kits, treats and hats arrive before the date.
Test your tech: Join your own party link from a locked-down work laptop, not the host’s machine.
Time it right: Poll your team, or run two sessions and share recordings across time zones.
Write a host guide: One page per game, with rules and timings, so any colleague can run it.
Prioritize inclusivity: Auto-captions are a courtesy, so book a human captioner when a guest needs one.
On the day, name a chat host who isn’t the emcee to welcome people and field tech questions. Use a visible hand-raise queue so the quieter teammates get their turn.
Then ask for feedback in a short survey, so next year's party is even better.
Plan activity blocks of about 25 minutes with 5-minute breaks, and give each break something to do.
How do you make a virtual holiday party feel personal?
Send custom invites and swag bags, show off participant crafts, and share screenshots afterward.
How do you get quiet people to join in?
Rotate the spotlight, offer prizes, and give every camera moment a chat option.
Don’t let distance diminish your holiday joy
This holiday season, bring your distributed teams together with a virtual holiday event tailored to your organization. We & Goliath producers run the platform on Airmeet or Zoom, set up the breakout rooms and polls, and add extras like virtual photo booths and shared playlists.
Our team works across every format, from virtual to hybrid to in-person, and the SMART Event Method™ connects strategy, marketing and production. Book a strategy session to plan yours.
We & Goliath is an award-winning, top 100 worldwide event agency known for increasing conference attendance by 7X and profits by 3X through beautifully designed virtual, hybrid, and in-person events. Since 1999, their team of innovative strategists and creative designers has worked with global enterprises, SMBs, non-profits, and other organizations to engage audiences and exceed expectations.
