Being part of a team that’s always been 100% remote, I cherish the times we get to connect virtually. Our team gets together via Zoom every Friday afternoon for a Happy Hour game. Last week, the subject came up about doing something fun for the holidays and it made me realize there are probably a lot of other companies looking to host an unforgettable virtual holiday party this year, or maybe even for potential or existing customers.
So, being a people-connecter by nature (and someone who’s always looking for an excuse to socialize), I started scouring the internet to find fresh virtual experiences for our team’s holiday party. I’m sharing them with you in hopes that you’ll be able to invite your teams, friends, or maybe even potential customers to one of these awesome experiences. So without further ado, I give you a virtual holiday party experiences list with options for everyone from food and wine lovers to avid golf pros. Enjoy!
Cook a Cultural Dinner With Chefs From Around the GlobeÂ
The rise of virtual cooking classes has opened up many ways to bring dining experiences to kitchen counters. One of the most notable is Annie Cheng’s The Table Less Traveled. A tour guide of-sorts, Annie (who is also my somewhat distant cousin, I might add) usually hosts international, small-group trips for the culture and cuisine curious. For groups that cannot gather in person, Annie created an interactive, virtual way to help food fanatics connect and make unique dishes with chefs around the globe (places like Italy, Peru, and Japan), all from the comfort of their home kitchens.
Price: Standard classes for up to 20 people start at $750
Craft a Cocktail With Friends, Old or NewÂ
With the absence of evening outings with friends, we’re all craving a good cocktail (or mocktail) after a long week! I found not only one but TWO virtual cocktail classes suited for any group looking to create memorable experiences with colleagues, friends, or potential customers (near or far)!
The Cocktail Gurus put a unique spin on their cocktail classes, showing you how to mix drinks while providing a focus on positive news inspired by actor John Krasinski’s YouTube show, Some Good News. The drinks won’t be the only thing to make you feel good. Of course, Jonathan, an experienced cocktail consultant of 20 years, will throw in a dash or two of cocktail and spirit-related inspiration to round things out. Cocktails, party themes, and group sizes are all customizable. You can also pre-order all of the ingredients you’ll need. Their Crafty Cocktail Kit includes one bottle of liquor and mini bottles of homemade syrups and fresh juices to make multiple servings of unique cocktails!
Price: 1 hour, up to 50 people: $750 (larger group rates upon request)
Laylow, a New Jersey-based cocktail lounge, offers a variety of virtual cocktail experiences suited for your special occasion, be it a holiday party, casual hangout, team building Happy Hour, corporate retreat, or sales meeting. One guest comments, I like how Pip and Jamie exude a chill attitude and yet have a great deal of creativity and knowledge to share. They don’t take themselves too seriously, and yet the drinks they make are precise renditions of classics or interesting new directions.
Price: Weekly cocktail classes start at $10. Inquire for private/team events.
Learn From the Pros With an In-Home, Virtual Golf Clinic
Know a serious group of golf pros? This is an experience they’re sure to remember. Invite them to a virtual VIP experience with TOP professional golf athletes like John Daly. Modern technology has made it possible for golf enthusiasts to learn how to perfect that swing through virtual swing tips/clinics right from the homes of pros like Tom Watson, Claude Harmon, Charley Hoffman, Tony Finau, Zach Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Matthew Wolff, and Amanda Balionis. Wasserman Golf, the largest golf agency in the world, hosts these along with other experiences that can drive sales for your company, like a meet-the-pros session in small group settings with your top clients/prospects to keep leads warm for your sales team.
Price: Team and private experiences with globally recognized Pros start at $3,500
Book today: Email Marc Raiken at MRAIKEN@TEAMWASS.COM
Host a Paint-and-Sip From Your Own Home
If you’ve ever joined a paint-and-sip class, there’s no denying how much fun they can be. You don’t have to be a Picasso either; anyone can follow along with the instructor and create a work of art. Just make sure your wine doesn’t make it onto the canvas, and if it does, call it creative license. Some companies, like The Paint Bar out of Massachusetts, sell pre-packaged paint kits so you don’t have to buy an overabundance of supplies.
Price: $30 per person. $80-$90 per person with supplies included. Inquire for private/team events.
Game Night and Get to Know You (For the Budget Conscious)
On a budget? A great way to create memorable conversations with fellow teammates or community members is through games that use phone apps or computer to play, such as Fibbage, Quiplash, Drawful, and Kahoot. Our team, who does this every Friday for happy hour, puts a spin on the game by theming the event (we dressed up in prohibition-era garb one week). To make it more personalized, we used Kahoot to create our own quiz with custom questions, with each question helping our teammates learn something unique about each other.
Price: Jackbox games range from $6.99/game to $69.99 for multiple game bundles. Kahoot subscriptions start at $4.99/mo.
Get the games today:Â Jackbox or Kahoot
So there you have it! Five unique virtual experiences for your holiday parties or gatherings, with options to fit every budget. If you’re looking at these as a way to generate more or nurture leads for your business, you can show teams the serious ROI on these events using Blackthorn Events. Use Salesforce and Blackthorn together to streamline the planning, registration, and reporting for all of the virtual experiences above.
