The Best Way To Do Virtual Secret Santa
Veronica Brundle - Oct 28 2022, 7:10:57 PM
December is a time for giving and showing appreciation for the ones you care for most. What better way to show you appreciate your team how much they appreciate each other than with a virtual secret Santa?
Whether you have a fully remote team you want to keep engaged during the holidays or have a hybrid workforce that would benefit from an online secret Santa instead of in-person: You’ve come to the right place.
We’re here to walk you through everything you need to know and give you some virtual secret Santa ideas for gifts.
Here’s what you need to know for how to virtually do secret santa:
How to do Secret Santa Virtually
Find an Online Name Generation
Part of the fun of secret Santa is not knowing who you’ll get paired up with! This helps your employees get acquainted with new team members and strengthen their connections in the workplace. There are several secret Santa online name generations you can choose from that will help you randomize the names.
Here are a few to help you get started:
Set the Rules and Guidelines
The rules and guidelines will set the premise for the experience. They give your team something to follow to ensure they stay ahead of key dates and are on the right track. Here are some rules you’ll want to add to the experience.
- A spending limit
- Date to buy your gift buy
- Date to send your gift buy
- No telling your Secret Santa who you are!
Send a Survey to Your Team
Sending your team a survey will help you get familiar with the individual's likes and dislikes. Once everyone has their secret Santa matchup, you can send the survey results to the person who picked them. This list can help them generate ideas and help them buy their gift. Here's what you can add to the survey
- Favorite candy bar
- Favorite scent
- What's your must-have work-from-home tool?
- Coffee or cocktails?
- Journaling or technology?
Have a Spending Limit
A spending limit keeps everyone on the same track. This ensures one team member doesn't get a $5 item while another receives a $50 gift. With a set spending limit, you can ensure every team member opens a quality secret Santa gift, and there are no hard feelings.
Exchange by Mail
If you have a remote team that lives around the country, you’ll want them to exchange their gifts by mail. This is the most effective way to ensure everyone gets their secret Santa gift. Businesses planning a secret Santa for their employees may want to offer to pay for the shipping of the gift or add it to the overall spending limit.
Open Gifts at a Virtual Christmas Party
What’s the fun of opening your online secret Santa gifts if you aren’t going to do it together? Once everyone has their gifts shipped, it’s time to throw a Christmas party!
During the Christmas party, everyone will open their gifts on camera. If you have a big team, you can put people into breakout rooms to ensure they have time to connect, engage, and bond while opening up their gifts.
Make Sure Everyone Turns on their Video
An online secret Santa is all about building connections with your coworkers. If everyone’s camera is off, what's the fun in that? Before the event, encourage your team to come ready to go with their cameras on. This will ensure everyone can prepare before the Christmas party.
End with a Celebration
After everyone has opened their gifts and said thanks, it’s time to celebrate! You can end your virtual secret Santa with a happy hour or social hour. We recommend pairing it with one of our holiday-inspired experiences.
Get a Call From Santa Himself
If you’re looking for a complete holiday experience, you can take your celebration to the next level with a Remote Call from Santa. Santa will meet your team and greet them by name. He'll talk through their interests and will know all about your company! If you have a smaller group of 6-20 individuals, this could be a fun way to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.
Virtual Secret Santa Ideas for Gifts
$20 Gift Ideas
- Coffee Tumbler or Mug
- Journal or Planner for the Next Year
- Candles
- Bath Bomb Gift Set
- Gift Card for a Bookstore
- Wireless Charger
- Champagne Glasses
- Serving Dish
$30 Gift Ideas
- Mini Bluetooth Speaker
- Charging Station
- Stainless Steel Water Bottle
- Slippers
- Trivia game or board game
- French Press
- Set of Wine Glasses
Celebrate the Holidays with Elevent
One of the best parts about the holiday season is getting people together, and we want to help you do that by planning exciting virtual experiences your entire team can enjoy.
At Elevent, we want to help you get in the holiday spirit and celebrate the end of the year with your team. With our collection of Christmas holiday parties, you’ll be able to plan high-end events that add value to your team’s work week and complements your online secret Santa plans.
The best part is: We handle everything from start to finish, so you can join in on the fun and enjoy the holidays. To learn more about our holiday-inspired experiences, contact us today.
Ready to book today? Explore our Virtual Holiday Party collection!
Originally published at Oct 28 2022, 7:10:57 PM. Updated on May 4 2024.
