Bid Adieu to Virtual Christmas Celebrations

Christmas is traditionally celebrated as a season of togetherness be it with friends, family or colleagues. The pandemic, unfortunately, distanced people from each other. So, Christmas parties came to a standstill. Virtual celebrations were in full force, as we couldn’t mingle with each other in public. Well, can online Christmas parties take the place of in-person parties? I don’t think so.

My online corporate Christmas party experience in Sydney was a dampener and didn’t feel like a celebration at all. It was more like attending an online meeting — sure we had virtual Christmassy backdrops, but that was about it; it lacked the whole Christmassy vibe, which made the whole experience a mechanical coming together of people. When you can’t have a face-to-face conversation with your peers in a beautiful setting outside, what else can you expect? I still remember we had a spectacular party experience aboard one of the Christmas party harbour cruises in Sydney. It was the best Christmas party we ever had, and I will have my office-mates vouch for that as well.

The world has been slowly weaning off the pandemic, and life as we know it is getting back to normal. Isn’t it time that we get out of these virtual party modes and get back to the real world? I have jotted down some not-so-cliche ideas for our next office Christmas party… happy to let you sponge off them if they work for you.

Aboard a Christmas party cruise

In my books, a Christmas party aboard one of the corporate Christmas party cruises in Sydney is definitely the way to go! Cruising on the waters with food, drinks, great conversations and magnificent views of the Sydney harbour, Opera House and much more is something to look forward to during an office event. We had booked a private deck on a luxury catamaran for our christmas party. If your group is large enough, your best to maximise privacy would be to charter the entire vessel. Believe me, it's worth the experience.

Sip on the finest Australian wines at Hunter Valley

What better way to celebrate Christmas than to go on a wine tour with your workmates? The Hunter Valley is pretty popular for its wide-open spaces and big boutique wineries. With a packaged tour, you can explore some of the best wineries in Hunter Valley. There are many varieties of wines to choose from… try the acclaimed shiraz and semillon varieties. Other than wine, you get to try platters of cheese, olives, craft beers and much more. If you’re lucky, you could even attend a vineyard concert. So, share a bottle of wine with some cheese or chocolates, to enhance the Christmas spirit in the whole group.

Scavenger Hunt

For that adrenaline rush, a good adventure would be a great idea for a Christmas party, right? If you’re wondering how it works, it is simple. Just plan a route and write clues to guide people all along the way. Challenge them by leaving prizes or something interesting from point to point. Everyone can be divided into teams, which can prove to be a good exercise for teamwork in the company. Once the exciting adventure comes to an end, get together at a pub, bar or a restaurant for a refreshing round of drinks with delectable food that will set the perfect party mood.

Karaoke battle

There’s no doubt that it is always fun to have a bit of competition. A karaoke battle is a great way to bring on that holiday spirit. Everyone can take turns singing songs — there’s nothing like the thrills and spills of karaoke to get the crowd going. You don’t have to be a perfect singer — rope in your colleagues, work the mikes and set the room on fire. Karaoke bars are the perfect setting for a fun not-so-corporate celebration.

You can’t deny these office Christmas party ideas are surely out of the box. It’s always thrilling to see a different side of your workmates during such fun activities. You can’t possibly see that at a virtual christmas party. All these ideas are solely aimed to go out and enjoy. How did you find these unique Christmas party ideas? If you found this interesting, I will be happy to come back with a different perspective in my next blog…