The New Way to Ring in The New Year: Virtually
Barbara Kozanecka
Dec 20, 2024 9:15:00 AM
Modern-day New Year's Eve traditions usually include silver and gold confetti, champagne toasts, disco balls, countdowns, and a classic rendition of "Auld Lang Syne."
However, celebrating the end of one trip around the sun and the start of another is actually a time-honored tradition that stretches back to ancient days. In Mesopotamia, priests slapped the king to prove his integrity through ritual humiliation, while in Rome, citizens exchanged gifts of figs and honey. Chinese New Year began more than 3,000 years ago, though its associations with bamboo and the color red remain today. And the ancient Egyptians, in a celebration perhaps familiar to many, had a "Festival of Drunkenness" to ring in the new year.
New Year's Eve rituals continue to evolve. For instance, 2021 saw more people than ever – probably in the history of humankind – ring in the new year from the comfort and safety of their living rooms. But while they couldn't clink glasses in person, people could still commune with their loved ones thanks to fiber-optic cables and broadband technology via a virtual New Year party.
On the surface, these virtual celebrations might have seemed like a pale comparison to the real thing, but this wasn't the case. Hosting a virtual New Year's Eve party can give you more freedom and access than ever before. It's one of the most affordable, most sustainable ways to celebrate everyone who matters to you – without the cost and hassle of bringing your loved ones onto the actual dance floor.
You can play games, make resolutions, watch the countdown clock, and make toasts from afar. In fact, hosting a virtual New Year's Eve party for your team is one of the best ways to use engagement tools and bond, recognize wins from the past year, set new goals, and generally "do it up."
Read on to learn more about why you should consider hosting a virtual New Year's Eve party. We'll discuss a few of our favorite ideas, provide guidance on planning your party, and give you an overview of all the event tools and terms you need to know.
Oh, and ritual humiliation of the CEO is optional. Let's dive in.
Fortunately, there are event tech integrations galore to help you set up fun, memorable virtual events. In today's tech-forward, you can easily decorate and brand a virtual space to reflect the occasion, book virtual party entertainment, and bring thousands of people together in one place online.
The question isn't whether you can host a virtual New Year's Eve party because you most certainly can. Instead, the question is, "Why should you want to?" And the answer is, "There are several reasons."
By the end of the year, budgets are dwindling, which is better news if you have an extensive guest list of VIPs, junior associates, and C-level executives. Hosting an online shindig, however, can accommodate everyone at less expense. You can honor the occasion and celebrate your team without purchasing plane tickets and hiring caterers to provide lavish meals. Instead, you can use the money toward prizes, gift baskets, entertainment, and more.
Not everyone will be able to attend an in-person party. With virtual event products, you can invite everyone, regardless of location. And even if your guests aren't able to attend the party live due to time zone considerations, with a virtual event, they can enjoy replays of the event on demand afterward.
Another thought is to host the party virtually and rotate party hosts worldwide so that for 24 hours, the event is always live, and everyone has a chance to participate.
One of the best reasons to host a virtual New Year's Eve party is that it is better for Mother Earth. When considering the harms of travel and waste, an internet connection is a much greener way to celebrate with those who matter. Sustainable events such as virtual parties help you reduce your carbon footprint without losing the fun.
Of course, you've still got to come up with some great ideas for activities, right?
If you want to throw a great event, you'll need some quality virtual New Year's Eve party ideas. We're here to help. Check out the following ideas and choose your favorites.
Host a live stream with a countdown to midnight for various time zones. Add a virtual countdown clock so your team can join in from anywhere around the world and count down together, no matter where they're located.
Set the tone with a theme like "Roaring 20s," "Masquerade Ball," or "Black & Gold Glamour." Ask your guests to join in, and hold a mini fashion show in the middle of the party to allow them to strut their stuff.
Organize a virtual mixology class where guests can learn how to craft unique cocktails or mocktails. Share the list of ingredients in advance and invite everyone to shake, stir, and sip their favorite drinks together.
Host a fun virtual karaoke contest! Use an integrated music platform and let everyone take a turn singing their favorite songs. You can even give out fun prizes for best performances or most entertaining.
Set up a trivia session where guests answer questions about the past year, fun facts, and international traditions. Tools like Kahoot! help track scores and add a touch of competition. Make sure the questions are just right-challenging yet accessible!
Open the floor to allow your guests to share their resolutions or plans for the new year. You can even provide a virtual "vision board" on which participants put pictures or words representing their goals. Feel free to address personal or company-related ambitions or both.
You may not have live fireworks but can offer a stunning, virtual fireworks showcase at midnight. Spice up the countdown with different dynamic visual effects to enhance excitement.
Set up a virtual photo booth with fun props and different digital backdrops. Urge guests to take photos that they can use for sharing in social media and in the chat group of that event for their keepsake from the evening.
Play some classic games, like "Pictionary" or "Charades," virtually. You can also organize a round of board games or card games online, making sure everyone can participate no matter where they are.
Create an energetic dance party by hiring a DJ or curating a playlist. Let the dance-off begin, or let each person bust out their best move. A great DJ will take requests to ensure that everyone gets to groove to his or her favorite song.
Take a minute to let your guests reflect on the highs and lows of the past year. They can share their stories or write down what they are thankful for, creating a positive and uplifting atmosphere to ring in the New Year.
Choose a feel-good movie or New Year's classic and invite others to watch it virtually together. You can chat and share throughout the movie for a cozy and engaging experience.
End the celebration with a virtual toast. Everyone can raise a glass from their location and share a few words of thanks, positive wishes, or hopes for the year ahead.
Whatever you do, make sure you and your team plan ahead. You'll want enough lead time to identify which games and gift packages to send your virtual attendees so they can participate fully.
You know why you should throw a virtual New Year's Eve party, and you have some ideas. Now you want to understand: who can benefit from a virtual event?
Now let's talk how-tos.
If you've never planned an online party before, it's natural to feel frightened, but don't pop the champagne early and stick your head in the sand. Instead, make a detailed plan.
The first thing you'll want to do is choose a virtual venue partner. Make sure it's an organization with expertise in hosting virtual and hybrid events and offers a range of engagement tools so you can enjoy a lot of flexibility.
Pro Tip: Read some case studies to inform your vendor selection. There are some good ones here, here, and here.
Next, assign tasks to members of your team. At a minimum, make sure someone is accountable for the following:
Okay, maybe that's a big promise – it's likely the party of the century will be hosted by either Elon Musk or a royal family member. Or both. But you can certainly plan a memorable event this year, even if all your VIPs aren't in one place.
Ready to host an awesome virtual New Year's Eve party? 6Connex is ready to help. As the leading provider of virtual, hybrid, and in-person event technology for businesses worldwide, we love simplifying the complexity of event management. In the spirit of the season, we come bearing gifts such as:
… and so much more. We know how important it is for you to stay in touch with your employees, partners, and vendors, which is why we make it so easy for you to plan great get-togethers, online or otherwise.
Check out our virtual event solutions today, all fully customizable. Most other event technology providers offer boxed solutions that aren't flexible. Not us. With our virtual event platform, you can plan a party of which even the Romans would be proud.
From the planning phase to the event to the afterparty, we would love to help you host a grand bash. Ready to partner with us? Request a virtual event platform demo and learn more today.
6Connex is the leading provider of in-person, hybrid, and virtual event technology for enterprises worldwide. Our cloud-based product portfolio includes event management tools, in-person event apps, virtual venues, webinars, learning management, and more.
From internal meetings to large scale conferences, we allow you to engage and transform big ideas into real-world results.
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