Over the years, office Christmas parties and family dos have become a staple of the festive season, so much so in fact that "Mad Friday" was coined about the last working Friday before Christmas when most of these gatherings take place. The term, mainly used by healthcare staff and ambulance workers, came to explain the huge influx of drunken admissions to hospitals and 999 calls, as party-goers take the festivities too far.
But this year, things are a little different. Or, more accurately, a LOT different. In 2020, Mad Friday is retired (perhaps for the best!) as we maintain social distancing and attempt to keep the nation safe this Christmas. Although Christmas parties this year may look different, there are still lots that we can do to celebrate the season safely!
So, don't give up ho, ho, hope! Festivities are not cancelled in 2020 - here are a few COVID safe Christmas party ideas to get your egg-noggin thinking!
Gingerbread house competition
There's nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, is there? Spice up your Christmas party in 2020 and host a gingerbread house competition! Some may remember this fun festive activity from their school days, so why not revamp the task and get a few tantalizing prizes to stir up the competition?
All you will need to do is supply contenders with the supplies and start the clock for them to begin constructing their masterpieces. This is a competition that can easily be done over Zoom, so no matter if your colleagues are working at home or your family is on the other side of the country, you can safely celebrate with this fun activity.
2020 Secret Santa
It's just not a Christmas party without Secret Santa. Just because people are remote working doesn't mean the gift giving fun has to stop! There's even a Secret Santa app now, so you can easily pop in everyone's names and have their recipient sent to them electronically!
Just set the spending limit and let the gift buying begin! Direct your colleagues to Interparcel, and we will ensure your gifts are delivered right to their door! Our carriers use contact-free shipping solutions to keep everyone safe. Senders can benefit from collection services or even locker drop off options with to minimise social contact when shipping their presents this year.
Secret Santa works really well for families and friendship groups too. In a year where we are all watching the pennies, Secret Santa is a great way to still share some festive cheer without overstretching the budget.
Zoom awards ceremony
Put together a night full of *virtual* glitz and glamour and get everyone to don their glad rags for an award ceremony like no other! Ask everyone to abide by the black-tie dress code and get them all to Zoom for 7 o'clock sharp with some fancy cocktails in hand.
Awards always work best when you keep it light-hearted and fun, so no mean ones! Start with the funniest, best dressed, most likely to be late, and then go on to more serious ones to reward real achievements, like the best idea, most sales, etc.
Get staff to vote for their colleagues discretely in a Word document, email, or even over Whatsapp and give out the virtual awards during your unique Christmas party!
Award ceremonies aren't reserved just for work get-togethers. A fun family event can include joke awards for most likely to eat the last burger at a family bbq, best moves on the dancefloor at weddings, and (sorry dad) most likely to make terrible dad jokes at the worst time!
Online cheese and wine tasting
This one may seem a little tenuous, but many businesses have adapted to lockdown and social distancing restrictions well, and Love Cheese is one of them. Do you love port and wine and absolutely adore discovering delectable cheeses from all over Europe? Well, no need to move from your living room sofa, they can bring these to you!
Get wine drunk, and cheese bellied with this COVID safe Christmas idea - invite your colleagues, family, or friends and create a group video call to bask in the sophistication of you all. This one can be a nice treat, but be warned, if you have a large group, it can get a little pricey!
Staff care packages
This year has been hard on everyone, hasn't it? Who could say no to a little gift package to nod to that effect?. Sending a care package doesn't have to mean a large bountiful selection of expensive products; it can be as simple as a little box filled with a couple of useful items they can use to relax this socially distanced Christmas.
There are plenty of 'best self-care products' articles out there for you to peruse, but try to come up with ideas personalised to your colleagues or friends that they would really love.
Have they been complaining that their heating is on the fritz? Add a pair of fluffy thermal socks to their box! Has your colleague been complaining about their noisy neighbours? You can't go wrong with some earplugs!
Once you've gathered all your perfect gifts, be sure to secure each parcel, measure its dimensions, and pop these into our Quote Tool. This way, you can view discounted parcel delivery rates from a range of couriers so you can send your care packages for less. You might even have some cash left over to treat yourself!
End of year quiz
We might all have quiz fatigue from the first lockdown, but why not revive it one last time before the year's out? As a dependable COVID-safe Christmas party idea, you can't go wrong here! Enlist a colleague or a family member to help you put together a quiz on all the things that occurred in the last year.
Keep the questions easy and not too specific, so everyone has a chance of knowing the answer. Of course, this quizzing affair will most likely be virtual this year, so plan for a few technical difficulties and late starters, as comes with the territory. But this Christmas party 2020 idea can be great at rounding off a tough year with some fun, jokey quiz questions to reflect with a positive outlook!
Christmas party takeaway
We know at the moment going for a massive staff meal is an absolute no-go, with pubs and restaurants mostly restricted to members of the same household. In some areas of the country, hospitality remains closed, ruling out any festive get-togethers.
Why not arrange a Christmas meal takeaway instead? If your company usually has a Christmas Party budget set aside, you could consider treating all your staff to a takeaway of their choice. Many pubs and restaurants are operating some kind of takeaway or delivery facility where people can order their favourite meals right to their doorstep.
Team your takeaway up with your Zoom awards ceremony or End of Year Quiz, and you're guaranteed a fab, festive night with your work pals!
Christmas is definitely not cancelled this year. With a little creative thinking and outside the box Christmas party ideas, 2020 can still be full of celebrations enjoyed with the same gusto as we have before! No matter what you decide to do, colleagues, friends, and family will appreciate the effort. After all, who doesn't need a few hours of laughter after a year of gloom? So get planning and have a party, unlike any other this year!
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