Worried about bringing the fun of holiday festivities to a virtual event? We got you covered with 7 Best Swag Ideas for Virtual Holiday Parties! The key is all about leveraging your company and brand culture with respect to the people that matter — whether that means:
- A community event hosted by your brand ambassador
- Thank you appreciation to members and clients that have supported your company throughout the year, or
- Or an end-of-year team celebration with the hardworking and inspiring colleagues that powered through the challenging year of 2020
We’re big fans of virtual events that recognize people for who they are outside of work (or whatever role you normally see them in). Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Or skip the Zoom call altogether. Put together some holiday cards and company swag to land at their doorsteps with activities that employees, clients, and community fans can do on their own time. Even better, they can share the fun with their friends and family. Think gingerbread house kits, a movie marathon, and board game night.
Seem counterintuitive? But it works. Because this is what your team and community members will be sharing with the people around them! Picture your team getting the gift and excitedly sending a photo to their friends and family. Plus, it’s something to talk about with their coworkers that – bingo – strengthens interpersonal connections at work.
Picture your team getting the gift and excitedly sending a photo to their friends and family. Plus, it’s something to talk about with their coworkers that – bingo – strengthens interpersonal connections at work.
But if you do want to do an actual virtual holiday party, and not just put together a company holiday gift, here’s how to do it.
Why Your Virtual Holiday Party Is More Than a Culture Moment
Pull back, reflect, and gear up for the new year.
It’s easy to get lost in the day to day, and if you’ve got a team of hustlers like we do, you’re well familiar with how easy it is for fires to pop up and priorities to get reshuffled. But the key to achieving great results despite that chaos is all about having a North Star to orient your company’s direction.
It’s what guides the day to day.
A virtual holiday party is the perfect time to celebrate all the wins – small, big, unexpected, long anticipated, and so on – that happened throughout the year. It’s a time to recognize your veteran talent, and to welcome and inspire your newest hires.
In fact, not taking advantage of the moment to nurture your company culture is a huge missed opportunity. Especially when it comes to boosting employee morale. Yes, it’s an easy win, but the simplicity of it makes it no less important.
Your virtual holiday party is a good chance for employees to strengthen their connections with their teammates, both the ones they work with in the day-to-day and the ones they rarely see in other departments.
Your virtual holiday party is a good chance for employees to strengthen their connections with their teammates, both the ones they work with in the day-to-day and the ones they rarely see in other departments.
The latter case can be especially impactful, because not knowing who their teammates are in other departments (and not knowing what they do) increases the chances of miscommunication and decreases the likelihood that each team will appreciate the other. While this may seem like a small thing, familiarity and trust are two factors that are not to be underestimated when it comes to increasing overall productivity, efficiency, and even creativity. Sometimes all it takes is a different perspective.
Finally, leaders, a holiday party is your chance to shine! For startups especially, when a company grows, it can be easy for the newest and most junior members to feel alienated from the top. But having the leader show their face and set the vision can result in huge pay-offs that carry the team through tough challenges all year round. In other words, the holiday party is a good moment to acknowledge, appreciate, and encourage your team.
Alright, ready to do this? Here are 7 swag ideas to support your next virtual holiday party! 🎉
👀 Sneak Ahead
The Holiday Cider Pack
A Celebration Toast
7 Best Swag Ideas For Virtual Holiday Parties 🥂
🌟 FEATURED SWAG PACK
1. The Holiday Cider Pack
THE CREW SAYS:
A solid choice for any holiday event, the Holiday Cider Pack embraces casual while keeping it classy with a refreshing bottle of cider and a set of copper mugs that you can use for everything from a DIY Moscow Mule to an ice cold serving of guava mango juice.
The Carhartt Duck Vest features a 100% ring spun cotton duck canvas, and is both water-repellent and wind-resistant. In other words, the perfect second layer. And with nylon lining quilted to arctic-weight polyester insulation, a rib knit collar, and a brass center-front zipper with interior storm flap, this humble-looking vest is made with the kind of details found on apparel with more premium prices.
After all, a trustworthy vest is the ultimate second layer in these colder winter months.
Finally, throw in a jar of Milk & Dark Chocolate Almonds with a set of marble and bamboo coasters, and you have everything you need to enjoy a virtual party with great refreshments (and even better company).
RECOMMENDED FOR: Team Culture, High Quality Swag Apparel, Seasonal Swag, Milestone Moments, Appreciation Swag Pack, Family Friendly, Swag Treats
COMPLEMENTARY SWAG ADD-ONS:
- The Executive Gift Box – Caramel Popcorn. For a little bit of salty and savory, we love this swag pick for bringing some balance to our taste buds in the Holiday Cider Pack. A great add on for teams that love gourmet food swag.
- Roots73 Shelty Toque Beanie. If a reliable vest is the ultimate winter second layer, a quality beanie is the ultimate swag pick for insulating that valuable noggin. This classic-inspired design from Roots73 features soft acrylic yarn and a turn-back cuff. The interior fleece band liner is made of 100% Polyester anti-pill microfleece.
- Ari Handheld Bluetooth Speaker. For the ultimate branding experience. A great swag pick for creative teams and cool brands, this speaker is fun to design for something that really stands out in any room. At just over 4 inches wide, the tiny speaker also packs a big punch. Enjoy Bluetooth connectivity over a 30 ft range with a built-in microphone and audio-in port for conference calling and 6+ hours of playback time.
🌟 FEATURED SWAG PACK
2. A Celebration Toast
THE CREW SAYS:
Let’s raise a toast! This swag pack is classy, and it knows it. From custom branded champagne flutes and a birch timber double-hinged corkscrew to an equally eye-catching as it is tasty box of champagne-flavored gummies, your team’s celebratory mood will hit a high note when they open the door to this holiday gift. The vintage wooden box is just icing on the cake at this point. For a holiday swag pack that impresses, you can’t go wrong with A Celebration Toast 😉
RECOMMENDED FOR: Company Wide Celebrations, Milestone Moments, Company Culture, Premium Swag, Leadership, Employee Appreciation, Client Gifts
COMPLEMENTARY SWAG ADD-ONS:
- Foil Insert Cards by Moo. Level up your holiday card game with these Foil Insert Cards from Moo. Featuring 16pt and a smooth, rubberized coating on “feel good” premium paper, this card will turn heads. Plus, you can put foil on both sides with no extra cost! The perfect touch to one of the classiest holiday swag packs we’ve seen.
- Soft Enamel Pin Set. The cooler version of stickers. (Arguably.) (Depending on who you ask at SwagUp.) Enamel pins are the modern collectible item, making for a super fun, creative branded keepsake. Pair a few different designs up with a custom card backing to create the perfect, retail-level set. Custom brand for any use case!
- Stemless Tumbler. 12 oz of double wall, stainless steel makes this thermal tumbler a great pick for keeping your favorite daytime and evening drink just the right temperature. And with a push-on clear lid and powder coated finish, you can feel comfortable taking this anywhere in the house (or out of it).
🌟 FEATURED SWAG PACK
3. Arts and Crafts Night
THE CREW SAYS:
The Arts and Crafts Night pack is all about chilling out with some creative fun. This family-friendly pack is great for working parents who would appreciate an activity they can share with their kids. But hey, don’t underestimate the draw of a beautiful coloring book and a few solid hours. Because arts and crafts isn’t just for kids! This preset pack gifts all the basic supplies you’ll need for a fun painting night, along with a wireless speaker for playing the tunes and transforming the room into a virtual art session. At the end of the night, everyone will have something to show and a few more fond memories. Best paired with a relaxing drink. Now whether that’s green tea or a mixed cocktail, no one will know 🤷🏻♂️
RECOMMENDED FOR: Creative Teams, Fun & Relaxation, Company Culture, Team Bonding, Employee Appreciation, Family Night, Community Swag, Arts and Crafts
COMPLEMENTARY SWAG ADD-ONS:
- Anker PowerWave 7.5 Qi Wireless Charger. A tech must-have for all remote offices in 2021. This wireless phone charging stand props your phone up for easy viewing and tapping while ensuring your phone’s well and fully charged. Because no one needs their phone to die right in the middle of an important call. Dial in to the virtual art session without worrying about where your laptop has to be in the room.
- Candy Club – Take A Bite. What’s a virtual party without some treats? We like these colorful bite-sized morsels from Candy Club. A mouthwatering array of bakery confections to keep you inspired and energized for the night.
- Roots 23 Classic Cocktail Set. For those who enjoy the experience of mixing cocktails at home. This swag gift set comes with four 4 oz bottles including Vanilla Ginger, Cherry Almond, Grapefruit Basil & Maple Cinnamon.
🌟 FEATURED SWAG PACK
4. It’s Sweater Weather
THE CREW SAYS:
For the teams that just need a pair of well-made socks, a comfortable sweater, and their favorite tunes to kickstart a relaxing weekend. The It’s Sweater Weather pack is all about keeping it low-key. Best for a virtual holiday party that is both casual and comfortable.
Featuring custom branded drinks from Eliqs, this pack really shines for companies that have a solid understanding of their brand and would love the chance to show it off with a pack that simultaneously keeps it simple while emphasizing the company culture. The perfect swag pack for teams that embrace living the good life to the fullest.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Swag Essentials, Seasonal Swag, Company Culture, Team Culture, Employee Appreciation, Lifestyle Swag, Weekend Ready, Community Swag
COMPLEMENTARY SWAG ADD-ONS:
- Raaka Brooklyn Chocolate – Ginger Snap. The perfect chocolate to pair with a cozy swag pack like this. Raaka makes their chocolate from scratch using unroasted cacao beans to create a natural fruity taste that captures the brighter side of cacao. The Ginger Snap flavor features ginger-steamed Tanzanian cacao mixed with winter spice-infused cocoa butter and decorated with sparkling brown sugar. In other words, the perfect companion for holiday spirits.
- Farm Kitchen 11 oz Soy Candle – Fragrance of the Year (Sea Salt and Orchid). Selected as the most outstanding candle of 2020, the Sea Salt and Orchid scent features a smooth and elegant blend of soft floral notes with salty highlights. As with all Farm Kitchen candles, enjoy hand poured pure soy wax, natural cotton wicks, and essential oil infused fragrances for a clean burn. Phthalate, additive and dye free. 100+ hour burn time.
- Treehouse Originals Hot Chocolate Pouch. We love these hot chocolate pouches from Treehouse Originals. A Swag of the Week pick, this is a great swag add-on for any pack focused on fun and relaxation. It’s just the right season for it too. Whether you’re anticipating an avalanche of snow or just cold wind and below freezing temperatures, a quality cup of hot chocolate will put anyone in a good mood.
🌟 FEATURED SWAG PACK
5. Movie Marathon Ready
THE CREW SAYS:
Now if this isn’t the perfect culture builder pack, we don’t know what is. The Movie Marathon Ready pack is great for teams and/or smaller sized companies that love their movies and TV shows. Feel free to start off the party with a company highlights reel before digging into everyone’s favorite series, or simply raise a toast to everyone for their hard work and give them a night of Netflix and popcorn to enjoy at their leisure.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Company Culture, Team Culture, Remote Employees, WFH, Lifestyle Swag, Entertainment, Member Appreciation, Virtual Event Swag
COMPLEMENTARY SWAG ADD-ONS:
- Weighted Eye Mask. The perfect solution to a long night of marathoning the latest and hottest TV series. Sleep in to your contentment with a rejuvenating Weighted Eye Mask. Great as a heat or cool compress and will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to take on anything that is thrown your way.
- Anker PowerWave 10W Qi Wireless Charger. For when you don’t want to bother with finding a cord for your phone. This wireless charge from Anker features a LED indicator that illuminates so you know when your device is being charged. Includes foreign object detection to avoid charging if encountering a metal object.
- Slow North Neck Wrap. A neck wrap that’s pretty enough to be art. This therapy pack is built for comfort, so you can close your eyes and float away as this cloud-inspired therapy pack eases your mind and relieves tension. Drape around your neck and shoulders to melt away the aches and pains.
🌟 FEATURED SWAG PACK
6. Virtual Event Pro
THE CREW SAYS:
The Virtual Event Pro pack recognizes teams that have taken the challenge of transitioning to a remote workplace, and knocked it out of the park.
With WFH basics like a pair of quality headphones, a webcam cover, and blue light blocking glasses, this is a great swag pack for getting your team the gear they need to keep it up in 2021. These swag picks will ensure everyone has enough power (both in terms of tech and in terms of energy, thanks to the included whole bean coffee pouch) to celebrate virtually this season and afterwards. We also love this Recycled Cotton Blend Hoodie as the perfect comfy (unofficial) WFH uniform your team will love wearing.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Virtual Event Swag, Remote Teams, Company Culture, Employee Appreciation, Tech Swag, Office Swag, WFH, Brand Ambassador
COMPLEMENTARY SWAG ADD-ONS:
- Timeular Time Tracker. A swag pick for productivity geeks, this is the world’s first 8-sided tracking dice that automatically tracks activities when flipped. Works with Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. Use this stylish timepiece to boost focus, while enjoying the tech that automatically populates timesheets for greater clarity into the areas you’re focusing on.
- Anker Hybrid Powerbank. The Ultimate 2-in-1 Charger: A hybrid high-capacity portable battery and dual-port wall charger in one sleek package. A great pack for teams that don’t want to be tied down to the power outlet.
- Butter Brew – 6oz Whole Bean Coffee. Got Wizarding World fans on your team? Check out this Butter Brew swag pick. All coffee will come in kraft bags with a degassing valve to extend the freshness of the rich and complex flavors. Medium roast, heavy body. Creamy butterscotch, chocolate and praline.
🌟 FEATURED SWAG PACK
7. New Year, New Goals
THE CREW SAYS:
This New Year, New Goals pack is an employee morale booster pack that lets your team know just how much you appreciate them and their hard work, especially after the challenging year of 2020.
We love this pack for your general virtual holiday party with the team. These high quality swag picks are great for employee appreciation, while also setting the tone to look forward to the bigger and better things to come. Rally your team forward with some premium swag awards, including a pair of Allbirds wool runners, and help them organize everything they’re up to with a neat and beautiful desk calendar.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Remote Teams, Milestone Moments, Company Celebration, Company Culture, Employee Appreciation, Office Swag, WFH, Brand Ambassador
COMPLEMENTARY SWAG ADD-ONS:
- Karst Stonepaper Notebook. 144 high quality pages with a unique waterproof color capable of surviving even the most rushed early-morning coffee run. This stone paper notebook from Karts features flat-lay binding for ample comfort and writing space for your notes and ideas. Bonus: Every purchase plants a tree
- Apple Airpods Pro. A great leadership and executive swag gift. The Airpods Pro promises decent noise cancellation for immersive sound, and also offers a transparency mode for hearing and connecting with the world around you. Best of all, this is a headset you can wear from office to gym and back.
- Business Book – Atomic Habits. For teams that love reading and learning new things. Include any top selling book in your next swag pack (ask us for recommendations!) to empower your team to enjoy an insightful read in the new year. A great choice for growing company culture that’s about more than the day to day.
🌟 FEATURED SWAG PACK
Bonus Round: The Office Gear Essentials
THE CREW SAYS:
Onboarding new hires in 2021? Get them ready to go with the Office Gear Essentials pack. From a work backpack to store all their tools and a quality notebook from Shinola Detroit to a dependable, stylish coffee mug, this swag pack is a perfect holiday gift and onboarding pack in one. Seize the moment to show your team some love while equipping your newest talent with the things they need to hit the ground running from day one.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Remote Teams, Holiday Gifting, Company Culture, Custom Branded Company Swag, Employee Appreciation, Office Swag, WFH
COMPLEMENTARY SWAG ADD-ONS:
- Bella + Canvas T-shirt. A dependable t-shirt more than capable of being your flagship swag apparel item. Featuring a retail fit with a tear-away label, this is a comfortable t-shirt that looks good in a variety of colors and is remarkably easy to brand with your company logo
- 1080P HD Webcam with Microphone. An HD webcam that works. A tech must-have for remote teams, this webcam comes with a built-in microphone and additional noise cancellation function to make your communication clearer and smoother. Plus, enjoy auto light correction as the camera automatically adjusts to your surroundings.
- W&P Hydropod. A little green keeps the mind fresh and creative. This hydroponic set contains everything home gardeners need to experience the process of soil-free farming, including a frosted glass Hydropod and ingredients for growing edible herbs. And thanks to a small footprint, the self-contained system is ideal for desktops, windowsills and other indoor spaces. Set includes: Basil Seeds, Coconut Husk Pith, Plant Food Powder. (Note shipping restrictions make this gift ideal for US-based recipients only.)
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