Celebration is encoded in the human DNA, and it doesn’t and shouldn’t stop just because the ones you want to share it with are far away. Since the first time we were put on lockdown because of COVID-19, new ways to get together appeared.
Virtual parties are one such way that allows us to connect with friends and colleagues to celebrate the most significant life events and achievements. Still, even though online parties don’t require a physical place to meet, they require some preparation. Here we will show you how to plan it and organize some fun for such occasions.
What Exactly Are Virtual Parties
Let us look at the term: a party one hosts virtually. There are numerous reasons to hold such events, from getting together to celebrate birthdays, bridal showers, and vacation parties to meeting up in teams at work and having events that mark the company’s milestones.
That is a simple way of getting in touch with people regardless of location. Such parties allow people to spend quality time with the closest ones without giving a second thought to social distancing rules or other life circumstances that often get in the way of seeing each other.
For whom are virtual parties perfect besides families and friends scattered around the world? Now, if you are part of a remote-first firm with coworkers who live on different continents, you might also benefit from virtual parties.
Steps to Take for Organizing Unforgettable Online Parties
When you are convinced that virtual parties can be a great way to celebrate when you can’t come face to face, it’s time to find out what ingredients are in a perfect party recipe. Here are a few tips that can come in handy.
1. Think of the event occasion
This is the first thing to keep in mind since all other details will be grounded in the case for the meeting. For example, is it a hen’s party or birthday, a graduation evening, or maybe just a friendly get-together without a special day? This is fundamental; once you know it, you can form the guest list, choose decorations, food, drinks, etc.
2. Choose guests to invite
Next to the reason for partying, you will need companions, right? Think who would be appropriate to invite and how they would like it. While trying to keep the circle open, consider their interests and the level of your relationships. Someone new would probably feel out of place.
This means you can throw a Halloween party for your 60 favorite people from work or university but when it comes to a narrow-themed birthday celebration, make sure the participants are close-knit.
3. Decide on technical means
A good virtual version of a party requires a reliable platform to host it. The key is just to choose the one you will be comfortable with. Most frequent choices for this kind of get-together include:
- Zoom;
- Facetime;
- Weve;
- Remo;
- Google Meet;
- Skype.
Most of them work the same way, and we’re sure you have already used at least half of the tools in your work or study environment. Anyway, if your guest list includes people of different ages and backgrounds, which often happens in family meetups, provide a short and comprehensive how-to guide for them.
What we recommend as the simplest services are Google Hangouts, Google Meet, Weve, and Skype. However, if you want the technical side to be flawless and interaction modes versatile, have a try with Remo. Keep in mind also that free versions of some of these programs can interrupt the meeting, so think of a full access mode.
4. Pick an event theme
That is not a must, but if the party you are planning seems a little dull, theme it up, and it will get the right mood for everybody. Now, that is where your imagination can get wild (depending, of course, on how appropriate it will be for the chosen guests). A few variants that many will find amazing include:
Dinner party
Organize a competition to prepare national dishes, exotic meals, or just cook the same meal together to have fun and gain experience in the kitchen.
Readers’ brunch and movie night
Choose the preferred genre or topic for films, discuss them afterward, or spice the party up with creative tasks based on the film.
Dance party
Dedicate it to favorite historical periods of this art.
Nostalgy night
Make and view slideshows with pictures from childhood/vacation/school graduation, etc. and let your friends add photos.
Wine tasting evening
This will let you feel like a wine expert, especially if you get drinks from traditional wine-producing regions of the planet, e.g., the French Bordeaux, Piedmont, or Italian Processo.
Board games night
There’s endless fun when your friends are passionate about board games, so get them from the attic and dust them off for this themed party.
Quest night
Solve a mystery together, do tasks from an online quest room, or act as Sherlock Holmes.
Laughing and comedy night
Choose stand-ups or comedy films to watch together in real time to lengthen your life.
Make it educational
Not all parties are made to be purely for fun, so why not spend this time with us? Look at the spheres of interest, hobbies, and professions of each one of your guests, and pick a great online lesson or workshop. Playing a musical instrument, learning the language of your dreams, learning a new sport, or simply deepening your knowledge of history can be good ideas.
Work out
Physical activity is never out of place, especially when we work from home and don’t always have a chance to go to the gym regularly. To add, group workouts are way more motivating than individual ones, which are hard to start.
To unite all of you, pick an online class in sports or use the same app, such as Sworkit or My Fitness Pal. You can exchange progress and see updates on the burned calories or each others’ health parameters.
To go on with the topic of a healthy lifestyle, crown such activities with friendly talks about green smoothies or tips for staying fit.
Do crafts
A lockdown might also be perfect for transforming your dwelling into a more comfortable and cozy place. If you’ve always dreamed of becoming design savvy, this is the time to include friends on the journey.
All ideas are welcome, but you can start with essentials such as organizing (or reorganizing) space and zoning, as well as managing storage. Next, go wild and do what you’d love to see in the flat: paintings, knitting, refurbishing, new life to old chairs and drawers, etc.
It would be nice to share results and processes by showcasing what you’ve got to each other.
Spooky story night
When autumn hints that Halloween is coming, it’s a wonderful time to rehearse how you will be celebrating. Anyway, even not depend on the season and time of the year, telling scary tales is fun.
Devise decorations for this evening – light up some candles, put the blinds down, and prepare creative theme-related snacks (or regular snacks). That kind of party might not be a favorite for all but if you are sensitive, just make sure to finish on a positive note, e.g., by watching a comedy or a stand up.
Make an evening of “frankness”
Here you have to be careful because the circle of people you want to share secrets with might be narrow. But if you’re lucky enough to have a few friends, why not get on the video chat and ask bold questions or share what is called “the flow of consciousness.”
Another funnier version of this party is “Truth or Dare.”
Visit a theatre
When offline performances are a luxury, choose a live performance online and have an evening of theatre play streaming. These days the choice of shows to watch through the screen at home is rather extensive, so everyone can find something to sit and watch with their jaws dropped.
Invite a stylist
If the desire to review the closet and change it to match your lifestyle has been in the air for some time, find a friend who might need the same and work with a stylist. A few hours of such consultation will be a valuable contribution to how you feel and look and will save you from irrelevant purchases.
In addition, such a service will turn out less expensive if it’s a closet review in bulk. Before going serious and talking to a professional, try to run through your items and exchange them if possible (or consider donating clothes elsewhere).
Read your old diaries
We could name it “the evening of shame” or “How Dumb I Was Once”; this is obviously not for the faint of heart. Still, if there are a couple of good friends who won’t judge you too strictly, enjoy the journaled memories as you read them at a virtual party. Nothing brings people closer better than something they are all embarrassed by!
Play “crocodile”
The game is old but gold. Showing things, animals, and personalities with gestures and movements is an evergreen classic of this type of game, but it gets funnier when one of you is stuck in showing or all guessing the shown thing.
Playing games with appropriate backgrounds and other virtual elements will be more aesthetic and exciting.
Watch online matches
This may not feel like watching football in one room with a glass of beer, but it’s better than nothing. Live sports viewing with fellow fans can be a great way to spend time and be much better than watching matches alone.
So, it’s a must if you’re cheering for the same team or are into the NBA or NFL.
Bring about seasonal celebration
Now, with plenty of meaningful holidays on our calendars, we simply have no right to ignore them. Think of Thanksgiving, Christmas, St Patrick’s Day, or Hanukkah and what family and friends would like to do on this day.
Make sure everyone has seasonal treats and is not left behind.
5. Send gifts and realia to all participants
Now, certain things are a staple, and we can’t do without them. However, it is easy to overlook things like decorations, food, drinks, and lights at online parties.
There are options to make virtual credit cards for each party member and open such cards if you have the time and desire. Yet, it’s a bit complicated and is more fitting for corporate parties than family evenings.
We recommend just planning everything up with them, purchasing the necessary items, and sending them by post. Otherwise, do it as a surprise, especially if the occasion is a family holiday.
What Are Other Ways to Organize a Virtual Event Flawlessly?
Okay, so your guests have received all the realia and decorations for the party and have an idea of what it would look like. What’s next, and how to polish the event up so that it becomes convenient and enjoyable for everyone?
Here are a few other ideas to use.
1. Plan a perfect time
Think of which time of the day is best for attendees. Then, set the exact time and date, add it to the calendar, and send invitations to each of them (mind that their emails should be active, so you might want to check them first).
2. Upload the link to the video conference
This link should be pinned somewhere for all to find it easily. Then, ask everyone to see if they can enter the platform without additional steps such as registration, logging in, verification, or completing profiles.
3. Place unintrusive reminders
This is all about communication, right? So it doesn’t necessarily have to be an automated reminder – going for a group chat message is also okay. Still, an automatic bell is a more reliable option as it doesn’t depend on the human factor, so no one will be excluded in this case.
4. Stick to the party agenda
Now, if the meeting is held in a formal environment, it must have a certain amount of control so that the event wouldn’t spin out of the topic. With events that are planned and made for teams, it’s a common way to include all points of the agenda on the slide in a presentation.
To make things easier for all, try to send the agenda some days before to let them know what will be discussed and what to expect from a virtual party.
As for informal meetings and those who can afford to have a spontaneous move once in a while, it’s necessary to keep the event interesting for everybody and ensure active participation. The timing here isn’t that crucial.
5. Set a timer
Again, this is not a must for informal and family meetings. Still, if you’re with colleagues, finish in time. If timing is your weakness, put a timer for yourself or make it available for all meeting guests.
One important thing to keep in mind is the aftertaste of the event. Make sure it doesn’t finish at an awkward point, and all attendees are ready to wrap it up.
6. Ask for feedback
Short of extended feedback needs to be just to know what to improve for the next time. Include several questions in the survey to see it and allow them to answer open questions and express what they think the party lacked.
In the end, don’t end the online event abruptly. Leave a feeling of anticipation for the next get-together, have your guests complete tasks, or just remember to communicate during the next week. Include everyone and avoid isolation.
The Final Say
With the new era containing frequent pandemics and transitioning from offices to home, online events will stay with us long. Virtual parties are excellent if you need to build teams at work, hold meetings and conferences, or just chill out after work.
Hopefully, these nonboring virtual party ideas that include the themes will let you have the best time with friends or colleagues. We have made this list of themes to get you closer to your professional goals: acquire new skills, gain confidence and experience in essential activities, and discover new food for thought. So use them well, complete the list with self-devised activities, and just have fun.
