Because of health and safety concerns and the gathering restrictions put in place due to the pandemic, most companies are forgoing the traditional in-person corporate holiday party. But there are still some festive elements that can be carried over into a virtual experience such as the beloved gift exchange.
According to a recent survey conducted by Convene, 39% of respondents said that they would like giveaways or branded gifts when asked what they would want during virtual experiences this holiday season.
Of course, this might not be feasible or even welcome, given the economic struggles folks are facing, so remember to assess the overall morale of your group before suggesting this idea. But for those who want to organize a virtual gift exchange for their remote teams, perhaps as part of a larger digital gathering, here’s how to do it:
Exchange names and addresses.
Since we can’t draw names out of a hat this year, use a free service like Elfster to set up the exchange by entering email addresses, names, and other details and then letting the site generate who buys for whom.
Another similar platform, DrawNames, which can handle groups of up to 250 people, uses its “Secret Santa” generator to draw names from a virtual hat. (You can even add exclusions saying who shouldn’t draw whom.) Then, group members are able to fill out their wish lists on Amazon. Gift-givers can ask questions and receive answers anonymously to help them choose the right present. Or the site’s gift finder feature can choose a gift for you to give instead. Participants can then purchase the gift and send it directly to the recipient through Amazon.
Keep shipping deadlines in mind.
Remember to allow enough time for attendees to buy and ship the gifts. To ensure the item arrives by Christmas, mail by Dec. 15, which is the deadline for ground shipping (the cheapest option) via UPS, USPS, and FedEx. If you’re planning to include the unwrapping of gifts as part of your live virtual gathering, be mindful of those shipping dates, especially if the party is happening soon. And if it’s just too late to organize an exchange before your virtual event this year, consider hosting it at the beginning of next year, and start 2021 on a good note. Digital gift cards are also another option if you're worried about gifts arriving on time.
Determine a budget or theme.
Also, be sure to set a budget for the gift-giving, such as $25, or choose a theme like WFH goodies and ask gift-givers to buy a related item. This also helps alleviate the stress of figuring out what to get folks. After all, a gift exchange should be fun, not feel like work.
