Plan Some Merrymaking: 12 Virtual Activities and Entertainment Ideas for Holiday Parties

Chefstreams (from $4,000 per class), a livestream cooking class service, lets attendees virtually step into the kitchens of renowned restaurant chefs such as Kwame Onwuachi and Chris Cosentino for an intimate experience where they learn how to cook multicourse meals. At the end of class, everyone sits down “together” to enjoy the meal and participate in a Q&A with the chef.

For small family-friendly work parties, Bridgewater Studio has designed a fun, socially distanced activation starring Santa (who’s wearing a mask over his beard, of course). Wish-N-Control features a mobile command center that collects kids’ wishes and sends them to the North Pole. A Santa selfie moment is also included. Pricing ranges from $50,000 to $60,000, including installation and dismantle.

Bridgewater Studio also created Santa’s Holiday Photo Safari, a contactless drive-thru experience where guests travel to see Santa and his reindeer, stopping at themed vignettes along the way. At the end, your car is magically “sleigh-ified” at an AR photo booth. Pricing ranges from $300,000 to $400,000, including staffing, installation, and dismantle.

Washington, D.C.-based floral shop Poppy is offering virtual wreath-making workshops for the holidays. Pricing starts at $100 per person, including materials and expert instruction over live video.

Embrace the cheesiness with Murray’s Cheese private virtual classes. Each guest receives a digital cutting and plating guide, plus a shipment of four cheeses and four pairing items. The virtual classes are designed for a minimum of 10 guests and cost $120 to $130 per person, with add-ons available. Plus, digital holiday party packages featuring decadent, special-edition cheeses are also offered.

This new shared virtual experience by RedBliss Design features self-assembly holiday art prints. Each print ($30 each) includes 20 peel-and-stick Chroma pieces to be applied to a seasonal art template for an instant masterpiece.

In response to the rise in virtual events, Ryan Oakes and Doug McKenzie introduced Alakazoom, an online version of their tech-centric magic show, Digital Deception. The duo seemingly incorporates common technical quirks into their act. Pricing for a group under 100 people starts at $3,500, with customization options available.

Skylark Creative Group partnered with Control Video DC to create a digital experience featuring a 3D LED stage that can be transformed into any virtual world, which the performers can interact with live. The entertainment can also be fully customized including costumes, performance type, music, and branding.

Michigan-based Funny Business Agency offers virtual comedy shows with live or prerecorded performances, or a hybrid of both. Choose from a variety of shows—from clean stand-up to sketch comedy and more.

Also available through Funny Business Agency, Ryan Budds serves as a virtual trivia host, pulling questions from pop culture, movies, music, TV, comic books, video games, and more. He can also customize questions based on the occasion.

Create a festive party vibe with help from DJ Keelez and Associates, who spins tunes, including customized playlists, for a range of virtual events. Pricing for DJ Keelez is $250 per hour, with a two-hour minimum.

Tap Miami-based Mixology Mixer to bring your team a fun-filled cocktail-making session—virtually, of course. All spirits, drink ingredients, and bar tools are sent directly to each employee's home, with a variety of kits from which to choose. The Autumn Time kit, pictured here, includes all the bells and whistles needed to craft the perfect cinnamon-cranberry margarita, Mexican apple mule, and pumpkin-pie martini. Pricing starts at $175 per person based on a group minimum of 30 and includes a one-hour live mixology session with one of Mixology Mixer's expert bartenders.